2025 ApprenticeshipNC Conference Brings Together Registered Apprenticeship Leaders From Across North Carolina
Over 250 Registered Apprenticeship stakeholders from across North Carolina gathered for the 2025 ApprenticeshipNC Conference March 10-11 at the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club in Durham. Attendees included program sponsors, employers, educators, government representatives, and community partners. The two-day conference offered a platform to connect, share best practices and success stories, and explore strategies to expand North Carolina’s labor market through Registered Apprenticeship and Pre-Apprenticeship Programs.
ApprenticeshipNC was honored to welcome Governor Joshua Stein as the keynote speaker. During his speech, Governor Stein reaffirmed his commitment to seeing North Carolina become the number one state for Registered Apprenticeship growth in the nation, stating, “No state will outwork North Carolina in workforce development while I am your governor… Our goal is to set the national base for growing more skilled workers for businesses and more career opportunities for our people.”
ApprenticeshipNC Director Chris Harrington, Ph.D.,MBA echoed Stein’s commitment to expanding Registered Apprenticeship. During the opening session, he announced his team’s dedication to increasing the number of Registered Apprentices to 10 per 1,000 workers by 2034—emphasizing the agency’s dedication to creating a skilled, adaptable, and efficient workforce for North Carolina.
The conference featured am impressive lineup of speakers, including representatives from Apprenticeship Randolph, a nationally recognized Registered Apprenticeship Program, McGee Brothers, the largest residential masonry company in the United States, the City of Greensboro, North Carolina Department of Commerce, Northern Regional Hospital , and nine community colleges. The sessions were packed with insights into engaging youth in the skilled trades, leveraging local ecosystems for growth, broadening recruitment networks to diversify the workforce, and employing mentorship best practices.
On the second day of the conference, attendees gathered to honor the recipients of the 2025 ApprenticeshipNC Awards. The awards honored individuals and programs who embody the spirit of innovation, commitment, and greatness that drives North Carolina’s workforce forward. This year’s winners included:
- 2025 Outstanding Apprenticeship Partner: Apprenticeship Randolph
- 2025 Outstanding Registered Pre-Apprentice: Alan Vargas, Maintenance Technician, Mt. Olive Pickle Company Inc. / Wayne Community College
- 2025 Outstanding Registered Pre-Apprenticeship Program: Cleveland Community College’s Electrical Lineworker Academy
- 2025 Outstanding Registered Apprentice: Kilie Fetzer, Surgical Technologist, Duke Ambulatory Health Center / Durham Technical Community College
- 2025 Outstanding Registered Apprenticeship Program: Roanoke Chowan Community Health Center
The 2025 ApprenticeshipNC Conference was a resounding success due to the numerous stakeholders who attended and openly shared in a common goal—the growth of Registered Apprenticeship in North Carolina. ApprenticeshipNC looks forward to building on the momentum and enthusiasm post-conference as agency staff works in all 100 of North Carolina’s counties to continue registering and expanding programs.
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 authorized to register apprenticeship programs tailored to meet employers’ needs— providing structured on-the-job learning, supplemental education, and a progressive wage scale.
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