The future of rural NC won’t be built by degrees alone

When people think of North Carolina, they often picture two places: the Research Triangle that encompasses Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill; or the booming skyline of Charlotte. But anyone who truly knows our state understands that North Carolina’s strength isn’t found only in its biggest cities. It lives in our small towns, farming communities, and rural counties where hard work and grit still define a person’s character. 

For too long our education system has sent rural students one message: If you don’t earn a four-year college degree, you’ve somehow fallen behind. 

That message has done a disservice to countless young Americans. 

The truth is simple: not every student is destined for college, and they shouldn’t have to be. Success should never be measured by whether someone walks across a university stage. It should be measured by whether they are equipped to build a meaningful career, support a family, and contribute to their community. 

America doesn’t have a degree shortage. It has a skilled worker shortage. Building up the American workforce means building up all elements of industry and production. 

Across North Carolina and the nation, employers are searching for welders, electricians, linemen, HVAC technicians, mechanics, plumbers, and machinists. These careers aren’t second-tier pursuits; they are essential professions that keep our lights on, our roads open, our factories running, and our economy growing. 

Better yet, they often pay remarkably well. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, electrical powerline installers and repairers earn a median annual salary of more than $90,000 nationally, with experienced workers earning well into six figures. These are careers that cannot be outsourced overseas and cannot be replaced by artificial intelligence. 

Meanwhile, the price tag on a bachelor’s degree has soared. The average annual cost of attending a four-year college has climbed by more than 200% since 1980, even after accounting for inflation. For too many young Americans, that has meant taking on tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt before they even earn their first paycheck. We’ve spent years telling students that borrowing heavily is simply the price of success. It isn’t. 

For many students, trade schools, apprenticeships, and career and technical education (CTE) offer something even more valuable: the opportunity to earn while they learn, graduate with little or no debt, and enter careers that provide long-term financial stability. 

North Carolina is already proving that this model works. During the 2024-25 school year, CTE students earned a record 382,964 industry-recognized credentials, the highest total in state history, and North Carolina now ranks second in the nation for CTE participation, with more than one-third of all K-12 students enrolled in a CTE course. These programs are preparing students for careers in high-demand industries like manufacturing, construction, transportation, agriculture, and healthcare, while helping employers build the skilled workforce our economy needs. 

The results speak for themselves. North Carolina is finding that some of the most effective workforce programs are those that allow students to earn while they learn. A recent study from the North Carolina Department of Commerce found that students who completed registered apprenticeships earned about $14,500 more per year than their peers just five years after high school, and roughly $9,000 more annually even a decade later. 

Apprentices were also significantly more likely to be employed in high-demand industries like construction and manufacturing, demonstrating that hands-on training doesn’t just prepare students for work; it prepares them for long-term economic success. Apprenticeships in the construction and extraction industry grew 95% from 784 during the 2023/2024 academic year to 1,532 in 2024/2025.

This is exactly why workforce development must once again become a central mission of American education. 

Under US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon’s leadership, the US Department of Education has placed renewed emphasis on expanding career and technical education, apprenticeships, and workforce readiness. That shift reflects a commonsense principle: education should prepare students for productive lives, not funnel every young person toward the same destination. 

An America First education agenda recognizes that every community has different needs. What works in downtown Raleigh may not be what serves students in Johnston County, Ashe County, Robeson County, or the mountain towns of western North Carolina. 

Rural communities don’t need Washington telling every student to pursue the same path. They need education systems that prepare young people for careers that strengthen their local economies. 

Our farmers, manufacturers, truck drivers, construction workers, and skilled tradespeople have always been the backbone of America. It’s time our education system recognized that. 

Whether a student chooses a four-year university, an apprenticeship, or a skilled trade, every path that leads to a good paying job and strong future deserves equal respect. Because the goal of education isn’t simply to produce more college graduates; it’s to prepare more Americans to build strong families, fill critical jobs, and keep our nation prosperous. 

For rural North Carolina, that’s not just good education policy. It’s the foundation of a stronger workforce, a stronger economy, and a stronger America. 

Kevin Daniels is executive director of America First Policy Institute-North Carolina.