Today Governor Josh Stein joined educators, students, and leaders from Forsyth Technical Community College and host Guilford Technical Community College to learn more about initiatives in the Triad to train North Carolina's child care workforce.

"Child care continues to be a source of anxiety for too many families across North Carolina, from finding a spot for your child to figuring out how to pay for it in your monthly budget," said Governor Josh Stein. "Through programs like Building Bright Futures and Child Care Academies, we're investing in our children's future, lowering costs for families, and strengthening our workforce."

"North Carolina is tackling the child care and early education workforce crisis head on, with innovative solutions like Child Care Academies and the Building Bright Futures Apprenticeship Program," said Michael Leighs, NCDHHS Deputy Secretary for Opportunity and Well-Being. "Supporting this critical workforce is vital in ensuring children have access to safe and nurturing care."

"We are grateful to the N.C. Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) for awarding a grant to GTCC that enables the college to offer child care academies and help address the statewide shortage of early childhood professionals," said GTCC President Anthony Clarke, Ph.D. "We also appreciate Gov. Josh Stein's leadership and ongoing efforts to help address this critical workforce need across North Carolina. We're already seeing results with graduates from our first cohort employed at early child care centers. As a community partner to the Triad, our responsibility is to prepare a skilled workforce for high-demand industries. With the need for qualified early child care providers remaining strong across Guilford County, GTCC is committed to continuing these child care academies beyond the grant period."

"Child care is essential for our communities to grow and thrive. When families have access to strong, reliable care, parents can work, and children can learn and build a strong start," said FTCC President Janet N. Spriggs, Ph.D. "Forsyth Tech's Child Care Academy helps prepare early childhood professionals, and meets a clear need across our region. We are proud to be part of an effort that builds a stronger future for our children, our families, and our economy, and are grateful for Governor Stein's support of this crucial work."

Governor Stein is committed to expanding access to affordable child care, creating more good-paying jobs, and helping parents afford to work. North Carolina currently has several programs aimed at improving recruitment and retention in child care settings; one program that has been implemented by both Guilford Technical Community College and Forsyth Technical Community College is Child Care Academies. In December, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) established Child Care Academies to address North Carolina's child care staffing shortage by partnering with higher education institutions to offer free, accelerated training for future early childhood educators and expand families' access to quality care.

Guilford and Forsyth counties are also home to child care programs participating in the Building Bright Futures pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship program. Like Child Care Academies, Building Bright Futures was highlighted by the Task Force on Child Care and Early Education as a promising model to recruit and retain a strong early childhood education workforce.

Governor Stein has long supported apprenticeship models that create more pathways to high-demand careers. He recently announced his support for NC Career Launch, using discretionary funds to expand to expand high-quality youth apprenticeship programs in high-demand sectors like child care.

Since North Carolina last passed a state budget two and a half years ago, the state experienced a net loss of 262 child care programs due, in part, to inadequate child care subsidy reimbursement. On average, our current subsidy rates pay for only about a half of what is costs child care providers to provide care. Governor Stein's Critical Needs Budget calls for $80 million annualized to help stabilize child care programs, lower costs for families, and improve retention of early childhood education professionals. Last month, Governor Stein and NCDHHS announced North Carolina was awarded more than $75 million in federal funding to support child care infrastructure recovery in areas impacted by Hurricane Helene and Tropical Storm Debby, including facility repairs, construction, and equipment.

Earlier this year, the Governor's Task Force on Child Care and Early Education released its 2025 year-end report, outlining six key recommendations to make child care accessible and affordable across North Carolina. Click here to read the Task Force's December 2025 report.

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