Investing in the Talent of Today Grows the Workforce of Tomorrow: A Recap of the ApprenticeshipNC 2024 Annual Conference

Winston-Salem— April 16-17 —ApprenticeshipNC (ANC), the State Apprenticeship Agency operating under the North Carolina Community College System , hosted its annual conference April 16-17 at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Over 250 apprenticeship stakeholders from across the state attended, including representatives from finance, education, government, health care, manufacturing, technology, transportation, and the skilled trades. Featuring sessions on a range of topics and the presentation of the 2024 ApprenticeshipNC Awards, the conference provided valuable information and supported opportunities to form relationships and share best practices with Registered Apprenticeship advocates from across North Carolina.

The first day of the conference kicked off with an “ANC 411” session during which ApprenticeshipNC leadership provided an update on current North Carolina workforce data, reinforced the “why” behind supporting Registered Apprenticeship, and gave an overview of economic and workforce development projects currently underway in North Carolina. Following a buffet-style lunch, apprenticeship advocates and employers Tammy Simmons of MSI, Sherri Jones of the City of Charlotte, and Jamie Lowery, MBA, PMP of Lumbee Holdings, Inc. discussed the importance of mentorship, their tips for retaining apprentices, and building company-wide support for Registered Apprenticeship.

The “You’ve Got Your Standards Approved, Now What?” session then took the audience through the best practices for creating and sustaining a Registered Apprenticeship Program. To wrap up day one’s sessions, the audience heard from two lively panels on strengthening Historically Black Colleges and University (HBCU) and employer partnerships and expanding diversity in Registered Apprenticeship. To conclude the first day, ANC invited attendees to dinner at Camel City BBQ Factory to support networking and relationship building amongst Registered Apprenticeship stakeholders.

The second day of the ANC Annual Conference began with a presentation on the benefits of pre-apprenticeship and youth apprenticeship featuring Jeanne Turner of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and Dasiané Branch, M.Ed of the North Carolina Life Sciences Apprenticeship Consortium. The ANC Marketing and Communications Team, with the assistance of Lauren Mills , Owner, Mills Consulting and Contracting, then took to the stage to provide a crash course on marketing Registered Apprenticeship Programs.

The third and final session of the day featured a panel discussion with speakers including Surry-Yadkin Works staff, pre-apprentices, and employer partners from Hugh Chatham Health . This discussion focused on the importance of forming partnerships in Registered Apprenticeship to create a strong economic and workforce development plan. The Surry Yadkin Works model leverages local government, the K-12 public school systems of Surry and Yadkin Counties, Mt. Airy City Schools, employer partners, and the community college. Upon the sessions’ completion, Garfield G. Garner, Regional Director, Region 3, Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship delivered the keynote address “Apprenticeship: Past, Present, and Future,” during which he recounted Registered Apprenticeship’s growth over the last three decades.

To conclude the conference, ApprenticeshipNC staff gathered on stage to honor the 2024 ApprenticeshipNC Awards recipients for their contributions to, and achievements in, Registered Apprenticeship. See recipients and their awards videos below:

Outstanding Registered Pre-Apprentice Recipient: Madison Jones of Smith-Rowe, LLC.

Outstanding Registered Pre-Apprenticeship Program Recipient: Surry-Yadkin Works

Outstanding Registered Apprentice Recipient: Seth Bullard of Lumbee Holdings, Inc.

Outstanding Registered Apprenticeship Program Recipient: Lumbee Holdings, Inc.

Outstanding Apprenticeship Partner: Sherri Jones, City of Charlotte

This year, ApprenticeshipNC chose to keep the outstanding apprenticeship partner award a surprise until it's announcement at the awards luncheon. To learn more about Sherri Jones, see her LinkedIn profile. To view photographs from the 2024 ApprenticeshipNC Annual Conference, click here.

About ApprenticeshipNC : Recognized by the Office of Apprenticeship to act on behalf of the U.S. Department of Labor, ApprenticeshipNC is the State Apprenticeship Agency operating under the North Carolina Community College System. ANC works to support North Carolina employers in building and retaining an adaptable, skilled, and efficient workforce through the registration of apprenticeship programs across North Carolina. With the assistance of ApprenticeshipNC, employers develop registered apprenticeship programs tailored to meet their workforce needs through structured on-the-job learning, related classroom instruction, and a progressive wage scale. Learn more about ApprenticeshipNC here.

For more information, press only:

Amy Davis-Moore

ApprenticeshipNC Communications Director

[email protected]

919-618-6249

Margaret Spainhour

ApprenticeshipNC Communications Assistant

[email protected]

919-618-6249

Article written and published by ApprenticeshipNC Communications Assistant Margaret Spainhour on behalf of the ApprenticeshipNC Marketing and Communications Office.