Rural Center history on workforce issues
From its founding in 1987, the center has recognized workforce development as one of the pillars of rural economic prosperity. The center defines workforce development broadly, encompassing child care, transportation and health insurance -- all critical to working families -- as well as education from the earliest years on through adult technical training and entrepreneurship skills. It has funded demonstration projects testing innovative solutions to workforce development and research to explore issues and identify ways to improve important programs. It also has advocated new policies and directions through reports and resolutions.
Among the highlights, prior to the launch of the Rural Dislocated Worker Initiative:
Tech Prep. The Rural Center threw its support behind this innovative educational program beginning in 1988. Pioneered in Richmond County, Tech Prep helps high school students identify vocational interests and guides them through a rigorous academic program that combines high school and community college training into a single educational pathway. Evaluations of the program documented lower dropout rates and higher educational achievement among its students, who were then better prepared for high-skill jobs. The center helped fund the expansion of the program in south-central North Carolina and the creation of the Tech Prep Leadership Development Center, a clearinghouse for schools seeking to establish their own programs. College Tech Prep is now found in schools across the state and nation.
Entrepreneurship education. Grants from the Rural Center supported the expansion of N.C. REAL (Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning) within North Carolina schools at a key stage in the organization's development. With this foundation, N.C. REAL won a major grant from the Ford Foundation for further expansion. The Rural Center later funded development of N.C. REAL's curriculum for adult learners. N.C. REAL Enterprises now operates in more than 30 other states and five other countries.
School funding. The Rural Center supported research, conducted by the North Carolina Public School Forum, into inequities in public school finance. The resulting report, "All That's Within Them," led the General Assembly to create the Low-Wealth and Small County Supplemental Funds in 1991. The programs now direct more than $100 million a year to help rural and other needy school systems. Later research, funded by the center and conducted by the Public School Forum, brought improvements in funding school technology.
Worker training. Various programs sponsored by the Rural Center tested methods of improving the skills of existing workers. For example, one provided basic skills training for employees of small businesses at their workplace. Another, a project of the N.C. Community College System, developed customized skills programs for future employment in high-growth fields. The center also provided funding for a faith-based initiative helping workers improve work and life skills.
Child care. In conjunction with such partners as the N.C. Child Care Services Association and N.C. Equity, the Rural Center conducted research and advocacy focusing on the need for affordable, quality child care for rural working parents. Among these efforts, research into the state child care subsidy program led to policy revisions that meant more money for rural child care. The Rural Center also worked with rural churches to develop quality child care programs and, with funding from the General Assembly, created a child care loan guarantee fund, to help start and expand rural child care programs.
Health insurance. In 2004, the center began an investigation of the health insurance crisis. "Health Insurance in North Carolina: Growing crisis puts small business, rural workers at risk" (pdf) documents the high proportion of rural workers who lack health insurance coverage. It also notes that with manufacturing jobs dwindling, the problem is likely to increase further. The center is continuing to work with state partners to identify opportunities to assist small businesses in providing health insurance for their employees and is considering additional research to evaluate alternative programs.
Research and advocacy. The center has been a consistent voice for improvements to North Carolina's workforce development system. Released in 1999, the Rural Center report "Choices for a New Century" calls for creation of an integrated, accountable workforce delivery system to meet the needs of rural workers, saying: "Clearly, one of the most formidable challenges for rural North Carolina in the 21st Century will be providing high quality, continuous job training for its adult workers. This training must be customized for individual needs, accessible to people in even the most remote rural communities and based on the realities of the job market." It offered four specific strategies to accomplish this goal.
As the impact of the 2001 recession began to be felt, the center began to look specifically at the issue of dislocated workers. "Manufacturing Layoffs: Hard Times for Rural Factories, Workers and Communities" presented data and analysis of the issues surrounding rural layoffs. In conjunction with its release, the center presented a set of recommendations to the state Workforce Development Summit. Those recommendations included an improved response to layoff announcements, development of worker-focused training programs that are easier for part-time workers to access, and strengthening of programs that promote remaining industries.
The Rural Center also has spoken through a series of public statements. Resolutions adopted in 2003 and 2004 supported the use of federal workforce funds for entrepreneurship training, called for broadening the reach of assistance to workers laid off as a result of global trade and advocated changing the source of funding for state worker training programs, to ensure their viability during economic downturns.
