(252) 355-9191GREENVILLE, N.C. — Governor Josh Stein visited Pitt Community College (PCC) to highlight how youth apprenticeship programs are bridging the gap between local education and skilled trades. The visit put a spotlight on the successful collaboration among local schools, PCC, and local businesses such as Advance Mechanical Heating and Air Conditioning to build North Carolina’s workforce pipeline.
During his tour of PCC’s industrial technology labs, Governor Stein met with Jonah Stallings, a graduating senior at D.H. Conley High School who balances his morning community college classes with paid, real-world field experience at Advance Mechanical. Stallings participates in Tradesformers, an industry-led youth apprenticeship program that connects students in Pitt County Schools with high-demand careers in the skilled trades.
“I’ll go to classes in the morning and then go to work afterward,” said Stallings, noting how the program allows him to gain vital field experience before graduation.
“Before they graduate from high school, they get college credit, and they’re getting paid,” said Governor Josh Stein. “When you don’t have enough skilled tradespeople in HVAC, electrical, and construction, it drives housing prices up. Expanding apprenticeship opportunities with great local partners like Advance Mechanical creates the workforce we need to meet housing demands while providing students with stable, well-paying careers.”
Employers across Eastern North Carolina are actively struggling to find skilled labor to meet growing infrastructure needs. State officials estimate North Carolina will face a shortage of more than 750,000 housing units through 2029. Local programs that blend classroom instruction with immediate employment—like Stallings’ work with Advance Mechanical—serve as the blueprint for the state’s economic strategy.
Governor Stein’s recently announced recommended budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 specifically targets this gap by funding youth apprenticeship programs through NC Career Launch and providing work-based learning grants to local small businesses.
By empowering students like Jonah Stallings and backing proactive local employers, North Carolina aims to build the workforce necessary to expand the state’s housing supply. Site Selection Magazine recently recognized these aggressive efforts, ranking North Carolina the 2026 Top State for Workforce Development.