Employment Services

SEED

Wayne, Lenoir, Greene, and Jones counties

Services/Programs Description

Southeastern Education and Economic Development (SEED) is an initiative of the NC Business Committee for Education, sponsored by Smithfield Foods. SEED is focused on growing the advanced manufacturing and agriculture workforce through work-based learning and apprenticeships. SEED will begin its focus with pathways in Industrial Systems and Mechatronics, two industries in high demand in southeastern North Carolina, and expand to include more career pathways each year.

This initiative will be aimed at middle school and high school students. For middle school, the focus will be career awareness, introducing students to the wide array of jobs in the agriculture and advanced manufacturing industry. In high school, real hands-on learning begins. SEED aims to create multiple youth apprenticeship pathways to a variety of careers. These programs allow students to learn and earn, by getting industry recognized credentials and a community college degree at no cost, while completing paid on-the-job training.


Cost

SEED is a free program, but students must apply and be accepted into the program. SEED is committed to breaking down barriers to access by providing students with extra support through monthly stipends to aid in transportation costs, materials costs (safety equipment, uniforms, tools, etc.), and technology to support classroom instruction. SEED youth apprentices will receive a $175 monthly travel stipend, and a $175 monthly materials stipend to help alleviate some of the financial stress of the program. Students will have access to laptops and mobile hotspots through a designated technology cart at their local community college, which they can borrow to complete online coursework at home.



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