Martin Center President Jenna A. Robinson wrote an opinion piece for the Carolina Journal examining the growing mismatch between higher education and North Carolina’s workforce needs. Despite the state’s strong economy, 62 percent of employers report difficulty finding qualified workers, while key industries, including nursing, computer science, and engineering, remain undersupplied with graduates.
Drawing on the Martin Center’s report, Aligning Education with Work, Robinson argues that colleges and universities should work more closely with employers through apprenticeships, internships, and other work-based learning opportunities. She also calls for a more efficient alignment between funding and incentives, greater transparency and regulatory flexibility, and stronger public-private partnerships to ensure that higher education better prepares students for the jobs North Carolina’s economy actually needs.
To read the full article, click HERE.