Native American Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Apprenticeship - Spotlight on Local Workforce Innovations

Native American students and youth in North Carolina are extremely under-represented in agricultural careers, even though agriculture is North Carolina’s number one industry, contributing $75 billion to the state’s economy and providing 17% of all jobs. Additionally, 1 in 4 Native Americans experience food insecurity, compared to 1 in 8 of all Americans. This largely stems from a scarcity of both jobs and food in areas with high populations of Native Americans. These factors prompted a recently launched initiative in North Carolina, the Native American Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Apprenticeship. This program aims to boost youth involvement in agriculture, increase diversity and inclusion, and promote agriculture and agricultural sciences as a viable career path.

Brought to you by the NCWorks Commission, the Spotlight on Local Workforce Innovations series showcases local innovations in collaborative, employer-led workforce development partnerships across our state. The series will highlight promising practices that can be replicated across North Carolina.