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Title
Workforce Development Partnerships to Promote Career Pathways (60min)
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Date of BOCC Meeting: September 8, 2026
Request for Board Action:
Agenda Text
The Board is requested to receive a presentation on Workforce Development Partnerships to Promote Career Pathways.
Durham County, and the Triangle, are home to many excellent career pathways that offer opportunities for promotion, salary, and benefits. When combining Durham and Raleigh Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA), there are over 1.14 million jobs within those 7 counties (Durham’s MSA includes Chatham, Durham, Orange, and Person. while Raleigh’s MSA includes Wake, Johnston, and Franklin). Many of those jobs are part of the Life Sciences, Tech, Healthcare, Financial, Public Sector, and Manufacturing industries that offer career pathways.
The Urban Institute defines a career pathway as a mapped series of manageable education and training steps toward industry-aligned skills, credentials, and career advancement. Ultimately, career pathways are the best tool to promote economic mobility.
Joining us for today’s conversation are partners with Durham Public Schools Career and Technical Education, Durham Technical Community College, Novo Nordisk, and Made in Durham. Partners will speak to how they promote access to certified career pathways with high-wage, high-growth jobs (potential for promotion, competitive wages and benefits) as well as how they connect to the larger workforce development ecosystem.
To give the presentation parameters, in certain examples it will focus on BioPharma Manufacturing, Skilled Trades, and Nursing (LPN/RN). This conversation is not inclusive to all local efforts or County workforce development programming but allows for a consumable framework.
Alignment with Strategic Plan: Focus Area: Regional Leadership 1a.
Resource Persons: Andrew Miracle, Economic Development Director; Maurice Jones, Deputy County Manager of External Affairs; Casey Steinbacher, E...
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