North Carolina used to be a place of promise and hope, where families could thrive. Unfortunately, today many North Carolinians work 50 or 60 hours a week and are still not able to provide the basics for their families.
Poverty has grown faster in North Carolina than in most states, and too many people lack opportunities to earn a good living. We need to dramatically increase job opportunities by fostering small business growth, supporting innovation and attracting new employers to our state, making sure to include hard-hit rural areas.
Our educational system is a key, and by strengthening the partnership between our schools and businesses, we can make sure we have a job-ready workforce. We must embrace programs such as the one I toured recently in Kentucky, where high schools students learn skills and get experience that prepare them for good paying, high-tech auto manufacturing jobs.