Featured Photo: Blue Ridge leaders convene local employers to discuss workforce solutions. (Photo by: Benjamin Rickert)
Marketing & Communications Dept.
On Sept. 10, Blue Ridge Community College convened six local employer partners from advanced manufacturing and civil engineering to help advance planning for the Good Jobs Western North Carolina (Good Jobs WNC) collaborative.
Launched in April 2026, Good Jobs WNC is a locally led, 23-county regional effort that brings together 11 community colleges, employers, foundations, regional partners, and the national nonprofit America Achieves. The collaborative aims to connect 1,200 residents to good jobs over the next three years in high-demand sectors, including manufacturing and the skilled trades.
Born from conversations following Hurricane Helene, Good Jobs WNC reflects a shared commitment among community college leaders to not only rebuild Western North Carolina but also strengthen its economy. The vision is to ensure every resident has a clear pathway to a good job.
A key component of this regional effort is collaboration between community colleges and regional employers.
“Community colleges exist for the communities we serve,” said Dr. Connie Wolfe, Blue Ridge’s executive vice president of programs. “As community connectors, our role is to understand what our employers need and help develop the skilled workforce our region needs for recovery and beyond.”
Thursday’s convening was the most recent meeting hosted by Blue Ridge as part of its Good Jobs WNC project, Strengthening Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing (SEAM) Talent Pipelines in Post-Helene Western North Carolina.
Building on employer insights
During the convening, College leaders shared the Good Jobs WNC Data Hub, a labor market tool developed by Julius Education. The tool aligns employer demand with local training pipelines and provides insights into hiring employers, career pathways, and talent supply.
The Data Hub gives College leaders and employers a clearer picture of the regional labor market, while direct conversations with employer partners help identify workforce gaps and clarify current needs.
“It’s important to engage with employers regularly and in real time to understand their evolving workforce, from open positions and required skills to recruitment and retention,” said Dr. Monica Carpenter, Blue Ridge’s vice president of economic and workforce development/continuing education.
The employer convening builds on Blue Ridge’s ongoing work to develop academy-style training that creates on-ramps for residents seeking careers in advanced manufacturing, the skilled trades, and engineering. By working directly with employers, the College can ensure its training meets current workforce needs while helping regional businesses address critical vacancies.
“Ulimately, the goal of SEAM and of Good Jobs WNC is bigger than helping fill individual job openings,” said Wolfe. “We’re strengthening connections between education, employers, and the workforce to help create a more resilient economy for the western region.”
Employers and community members can learn more about Blue Ridge Community College’s impact through the College’s recent annual reports at www.blueridge.edu/about. Future students interested in strengthening their careers can explore enrollment opportunities at www.blueridge.edu/admissions.
myCanvas