Union County’s labor market is regional, complex, and changing quickly. At the Annual Leadership Summit on educational attainment and workforce development, leaders from K–12 education, colleges, employers, workforce organizations, and nonprofits agreed on one central point: keeping pace will require sustained, cross-sector collaboration.
A regional talent strategy
Employers draw workers from across county lines, while many Union County residents commute elsewhere each day. That movement means workforce planning cannot stop at county borders. Regional partners, including more than 30 organizations connected through Our Future in UNiSON, are aligning attainment goals, training programs, and employer needs across Union and Anson counties.
The summit also reinforced that all pathways matter. Strong careers can begin with industry credentials, apprenticeships, associate degrees, four-year degrees, or direct-to-work opportunities. Union County Public Schools introduces career awareness early and connects students to high school academies and postsecondary options. South Piedmont Community College adds flexible, short-term credentials and customized employer training for both young people and adults seeking new opportunities.
Learning by doing
Apprenticeships emerged as one of the region’s most promising tools. Programs can be tailored to specific skill needs, sponsored by employers or the college, and paired with high school pre-apprenticeships. Local examples, from machining and healthcare to a teaching pathway with SPCC and Wingate, show how earn-and-learn models can fill immediate openings, improve retention, and create long-term career ladders.
What employers need
Employers described a complicated hiring environment: some receive too few qualified applicants, while others face high volumes of applications that do not reflect candidates’ actual skills. Across industries, they consistently emphasized the need for durable skills such as reliability, critical thinking, problem-solving, and initiative.
Participants also named barriers outside the workplace that directly affect workforce stability. Transportation gaps, childcare costs, housing pressures, and uncertain nonprofit funding can prevent qualified residents from securing or keeping good jobs.
Turning momentum into action
Union County is not starting from scratch. The region already has strong data, committed partners, innovative programs, and a shared vision. The next step is to scale what works: engage employers earlier, make pathways clear and affordable, expand apprenticeships, and address the practical barriers that keep talent on the sidelines.
When education, business, government, and community organizations work together, every resident, from a middle school student to a mid-career adult, can see a clearer path toward a stable, rewarding career.
Last modified: October 16, 2026
