Community colleges would fund disability job training and digital credentials

The Community Colleges System Office would use recurring funds to support job training and workplace learning. The program would serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities at participating North Carolina community colleges. Its needs assessment would also consider people with similar disabilities or learning challenges. The program would support job skills, on-the-job training, apprenticeships, and access to college credentials. The bill sets aside $640,000 in recurring funds for two positions and work-based learning, including high school pathways and pre-apprenticeships. Another $810,000 in recurring funds may be used for marketing, online resources, professional development, and infrastructure; remaining funds would support the program. The bill sets aside $3.85 million in recurring funds beginning in fiscal year 2026–2027.

ApprenticeshipNC would develop a plan for faster routes into teaching and report it to lawmakers. The plan would cover apprenticeship candidates, including high school students and people who work in public schools while studying to teach. ApprenticeshipNC would work with the UNC Board of Governors, the State Board of Community Colleges, the Department of Public Instruction, and Teach NC. It may also work with educator preparation programs, school districts, and apprenticeship programs. The plan would consider classroom experience, college courses that could count toward teacher preparation, and any laws or funding needed to carry it out. The report would be due to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by March 15, 2027.

The Community Colleges System Office would select a vendor and deploy a digital credential system. The system would be used by community colleges across North Carolina. The system must issue, manage, and verify digital credentials, and include a mobile wallet that lets people keep sole control of their credentials. It must meet identity-check and secure communication standards, include artificial intelligence driven job matching, and run in the State's controlled cloud environment. Blockchain-based tools may publish public keys and service endpoints only; they may not store personal information or credential data. The $4,913,100 appropriation is for fiscal year 2026–2027 and would remain available through the end of fiscal year 2027–2028.