Iredell EDC Hosts First Iredell Ready Leadership Council
Iredell EDC hosted representatives of Iredell-Statesville Schools and Mooresville Graded School District along with Dr. Tim Brewer, President of Mitchell Community College, and members of the Iredell County business community for the first Iredell Ready Leadership Council on December 18, 2025, at the Charles Mack Center in Mooresville.
Led by the Iredell County Economic Development Corporation (Iredell EDC), Iredell Ready originated in May 2022, in partnership with Centralina Workforce Development Board, Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce, Iredell County, Iredell-Statesville Schools (ISS), Mooresville Graded School District (MSGD), and Mitchell Community College (MCC) in response to the challenge from MyFutureNC for Iredell County to achieve workforce attainment goals that will contribute to the State of North Carolina’s goal of achieving two million North Carolinians earning a high-quality credential or postsecondary degree by 2030. Since its inception, Iredell Ready has continued to engage and grow its partnership with the addition of businesses and organizations across Iredell County representing six targeted industry sectors specifically those that are considered high growth and high opportunity industries for pathway development.
- Advanced Manufacturing: Largest sector, 14,500 employees, 400 employers.
- Financial Services: 2nd largest financial center in the U.S. (Charlotte).
- Innovation Economy: Top 5 fastest tech talent growth nationally.
- Life Sciences/Health: 2 Hospital Systems and largest healthcare provider systems in NC and Southeast US.
- Logistics/Distribution: Major transportation corridor (I-77/I-40).
- Agriculture: Leading in dairy and poultry production.
Iredell Ready has achieved this growth through a commitment to its original strategic priorities.
- Promoting & Amplifying Career Pathways
- Strengthening Industry & Education Partnerships
- Preparing the Pipeline
- Aligning Curriculum to Industry Needs
- Creating Relevant Learning Opportunities
- Upskilling & Reskilling our Existing Workforce
Iredell Ready plans to continue their growth trajectory with the launch of several initiatives including an Explore Employers page on the Iredell Ready website, www.IredellReady.com. This page will allow industry partners the opportunity to showcase their company and available careers. Additionally, along with Iredell-Statesville Schools, Mooresville Graded School District, and Mitchell Community College, they host Careers on Wheels, a career exploration event that draws 2,000 sixth-graders and more than 70 companies to the Iredell County Fairgrounds for the purpose of helping students explore the countless career opportunities in Iredell County.
In 2026, Iredell Ready will partner with local radio station, WAME, to launch Inside Iredell, a video series that will:
- Highlight local businesses and the people behind them.
- Showcase Iredell County as a dynamic location for business and investment.
- Inspire community pride and engagement.
- Support economic development by driving awareness of local innovation, talent, and opportunity.
- Cultivate career exploration in Iredell County by showcasing real jobs, real workers, and real pathways to employment.
Dr. Tim Brewer shared more about the crucial role Mitchell Community College plays in the advancement of workforce development in Iredell County. Offering both Curriculum and Continuing Education programs, Mitchell Community College carefully aligns their curriculum with targeted industry sectors and continually evaluates their offerings based on industry needs. Additionally, Propel NC and short-term Pell Grants now make industry training initiatives more affordable and achievable.
Both Iredell-Statesville Schools and Mooresville Graded School District are also centering industry needs in their efforts to prepare their students to be the future workforce in Iredell County. In a recent employer survey, employers indicated the most difficult skills to find in potential employees are durable or soft skills such as responsibility, critical thinking, and time management. Because of their considerable efforts to infuse opportunities for students to develop those types of skills into their curriculum, both school districts were selected for a Skills for the Future Grant | NC DPI, a $4M grant-funded initiative to intensify those efforts as they align with North Carolina’s Portrait of a Graduate. Both school districts launched the program in September 2025. Iredell-Statesville Schools currently has 20 educators and 984 students participating, and they have partnered with the Success Practice Network (SPN) and Battelle to realign their strategic plan around the components of the Portrait of a Graduate, and the durable skills highlighted by the Skills for the Future pilot. Mooresville Graded School District has 10 staff members and 182 students currently involved, and they are a part of the Future of High Schools Network, a network of high schools across the country focused on innovation aligned to durable skills.
Iredell Ready will participate in several upcoming events including the Futures CoLAB event scheduled February 12 from 5:00 – 6:30 pm at the Charles Mack Citizen Center – 215 N Main St #2527, Mooresville, NC 28115. Futures CoLAB event will immerse participants into North Carolina’s evolving educational landscape and offer hands-on experiences with tools and strategies that support collaboration, one of the seven durable skills outlined in the state’s Portrait of a Graduate (PoG). MyFutureNC will host their virtual event, The State of Educational Attainment, on February 12 at 3 PM ET, when they share the latest update and unveil new tools to help leaders drive impact statewide. The Annual Iredell Ready Workforce Forum will be held at Mitchell Community College on March 27 from 9:00 – 11:30 AM and will feature State of Educational Attainment in Iredell County and Partners in Action.
If you are a business interested in being a part of Iredell Ready, you can learn more at www.IredellReady.com or download a copy of the Iredell Ready Corporate Partner brochure at https://iredelledc.com/about/icedc-investors
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