SANFORD - Governor Pat McCrory and Commerce Secretary Sharon Decker joined state officials today in announcing "NCWorks," a major initiative that will promote one consistent, cohesive strategy for workforce development across North Carolina.
“While I am continually pleased to see more and more people finding jobs in North Carolina, it is important to remain focused on getting people back to work,” said Governor McCrory in a press release.  “As we continue to rebuild, I am committed to making our state stronger and more resilient. Today we are officially launching NCWorks to focus on one goal – connecting North Carolina jobs with North Carolina people.”

Governor McCrory made the announcement at Caterpillar Inc. in Sanford. The governor and secretary were joined by Dr. Scott Ralls, North Carolina Community College System president; Will Collins, executive director of  NCWorks; and Korey Coon, human resources manager at Caterpillar and chair of the Commission on Workforce Development.

“Helping develop a stronger North Carolina workforce means helping the backbone of our economy statewide,” said Secretary Decker. “The North Carolina Community College System has been an integral partner with this innovative project, and we will work closely with them in the months ahead to make NCWorks a success.”

The plan will begin immediately and will develop over the next 12 months.  Hundreds of workforce professionals will focus on connecting North Carolina employees with North Carolina employers.

“As North Carolina’s designated leader in workforce training, our community colleges are pleased to be a part of the NCWorks initiative and to have Will Collins as a part of both our and Commerce’s leadership teams,” Ralls said. “By aligning our resources and focusing our services, North Carolina’s workforce system can open up new opportunities for our citizens and businesses”

“Governor McCrory’s call for strengthening our nation’s best workforce was made possible by bringing together key stakeholders from across the state,” said Collins, executive director of NCWorks. “We plan to aggressively work with our partners to visit 1,000 businesses in all 100 counties in 100 days.”

Below is a summary of the five steps that will help connect NC employers to the NC employees they need to succeed in our state and help our citizens improve their quality of life:

1) Work with one name -- NCWorks, one portal and one goal for all our workforce development partners.
2) Optimize a stronger response to business needs by creating a unified position in Community Colleges and Commerce. In six months, Will Collins and his team will develop a plan for how all of our business-focused workforce service can work better together.
3) Recharge the Commission on Workforce Development to take advantage of the industry and state leaders who sit on that commission to lead a new strategic era of workforce collaboration.
4) Keep a consistent flow of timely, high-quality data going to our workforce partners so our decisions are based on the best data available.
5) Scan the needs of our businesses and the effectiveness of our workforce programs based on industry feedback: 1,000 companies in 100 counties in 100 days.

The N.C. Commission on Workforce Development recommends policies and strategies that enable the state's workforce and businesses to compete in the global economy.

The commission is designated as the state's Workforce Investment Board under the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998. Led by a private sector chair, the 25-member commission includes representatives from the business community, heads of state workforce agencies, educators, community leaders and representatives from organized labor. All members are appointed by the governor