Spotlight On: Jeff Cox, President, North Carolina Community College System

Key points:

• North Carolina’s community colleges are central to workforce competitiveness as business growth accelerates statewide.

• Short-term credentials, apprenticeships, and funding reform are aligning education with high-demand, high-wage jobs.

• Preparing students for AI-driven work requires combining technical training with adaptable, human-centered skills.

January 2026 — As companies relocate to or expand across the state, Jeff Cox, president of the North Carolina Community College System, has focused on aligning 58 colleges with the rapidly changing needs of employers and the labor market. That work includes modernizing its funding model, expanding short-term credentials, deepening apprenticeships, and preparing students for a workforce shaped by advanced technology and AI. “I hope that all students who graduate from one of our colleges can step into jobs that support them and their families. If we can continue doing that at scale across the state, then North Carolina’s future is bright,” Cox told Invest:.

Join us at caa’s upcoming leadership summits! These premier events bring together hundreds of public and private sector leaders to discuss the challenges and opportunities for businesses and investors. Find the next summit in a city near you!

Over the past 18 months, what major trends have shaped the North Carolina Community College System and the state’s workforce needs?

The biggest factor has unquestionably been North Carolina’s continued strength as a top destination for business. When companies look at where to expand or relocate, they consistently tell us their No. 1 consideration is the workforce. We’ve seen extraordinary interest from companies that are either growing within the state or moving here entirely, and that brings both opportunity and pressure on an already tight labor market.

There isn’t a community anywhere with thousands of engineers, technicians, or advanced manufacturing workers simply waiting for the next large employer to arrive. What companies want is confidence that a state has the ability to upskill or retrain its workforce quickly. That’s where our system comes in. With 58 community colleges and one within about a 30-minute drive of nearly every community, we’re positioned to meet those needs in a way many states simply can’t. The pace of economic activity has kept us on our toes, and it has underscored just how essential our role is in North Carolina’s long-term competitiveness.

Where are you seeing the greatest workforce demand, and how is that shaping the programs offered by system colleges?

One of the clearest trends I’ve seen is that thousands of new, well-paying jobs coming into the state don’t require a four-year degree. Many don’t even require a full associate degree, but almost all of them require some type of postsecondary credential. That has driven strong demand for short-term, targeted training programs that prepare people for living-wage roles quickly.

I’m encouraged that this trend aligns with the federal government’s new short-term workforce Pell initiative, which takes effect in July 2026. Historically, Pell funding was limited to students pursuing traditional two-year or four-year degrees. For the first time, Pell will now support certain high-quality, short-term programs that meet strict requirements. That shift supports the direction we’ve already been moving and opens doors for many students who need faster, more flexible pathways into the workforce. We also need to make sure those short-term credentials articulate to credit and that students have pathways to earn associate degrees and bachelor’s degrees so students can continue their economic mobility.

What is Propel NC, and how will it modernize the system’s funding model?

Propel NC is our effort to rethink how we fund high-demand programs. We haven’t made major changes to our funding structure in over a decade, and it no longer matches the realities of today’s workforce needs. Many of the programs that employers want us to expand — advanced manufacturing, healthcare, engineering technologies — are also the most expensive to operate.

Take nursing, for example. Every region in the state needs more nurses, and in hiring nursing instructors, we must compete with private-sector salaries that often reach six figures. That drives up personnel costs. Then there’s the equipment. Modern simulation labs use high-fidelity mannequins that can cost anywhere from $30,000 to $150,000 each. Nursing cohorts are also intentionally small, usually around 10 students. When you combine high salaries, high equipment costs, and limited class sizes, the math simply doesn’t work under our current funding model.

With Propel NC, we’re asking the General Assembly for an additional $93 million so we can increase reimbursement for high-wage, high-demand programs. This will allow colleges to expand capacity in fields where employers need workers most, without losing money every time they add a student. It’s an investment that will pay dividends across every region of the state.

How are you preparing students for a workforce increasingly shaped by automation and AI?

Like everyone else, we’re spending a lot of time thinking about how jobs are changing. Employers still need graduates with deep technical knowledge who can step into roles on day one. But equally important are the transferable skills that will help people adapt as industries evolve.

Employers talk about soft skills, essential skills, or employability skills. I’ve even heard them described as hiring skills and firing skills — the things that get you hired and the things that might eventually get you fired. Teamwork, communication, critical thinking, problem solving, and simply knowing how to approach a task when you don’t know what to do are all essential, especially as technology reshapes jobs.

AI is a good example. I heard the story of a law firm that had 30 paralegals until it adopted an AI-enhanced application. Shortly afterward, it reduced that number to seven. Those seven had the deepest understanding of the content, could tell when the AI was giving accurate information, and could leverage the technology to do the work of 30. That’s a powerful reminder: students need both technical skill and the ability to use AI responsibly and effectively. We’re helping faculty think about how to integrate these expectations across the curriculum, so students graduate prepared for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

How are you strengthening employer partnerships, particularly around apprenticeships?

Apprenticeship is one of the most effective tools we have for building a strong workforce pipeline, and expanding those opportunities has been a priority for the system. I have the privilege of serving as co-chair of the Governor’s Council on Workforce and Apprenticeship, alongside Commerce Secretary Lilley and Senator Eddie Settle. Together with partners from NC Works, the community colleges, and many others, we’ve identified 11 major goals for strengthening workforce development statewide. One of those goals is to double the number of apprentices in North Carolina.

Our colleges have the capacity to support more apprentices, but we need employers willing to host them. Apprenticeship is a true win-win. Students get hands-on experience while completing coursework, which makes them stronger employees and often leads directly to full-time jobs. Employers benefit from a pipeline of workers who understand their operations and culture. Apprentices also tend to stay with companies longer, which reduces turnover. Nearly every employer who participates will tell you it’s one of the best investments they make.

How will the new $400 million shared education complex improve collaboration across state agencies?

When the new complex opens in 2028, it will bring together the community college system, the K-12 Department of Public Instruction, the UNC System, and the Department of Commerce. I see this as a major opportunity. Imagine being able to bring business leaders into a state-of-the-art facility where all of the state’s education and workforce partners can meet in one place. That alone sends a strong message about North Carolina’s commitment to collaboration.

Day-to-day proximity will help, but we’ll also need to be intentional. Even in our current building, it’s easy for people to stay on their own floors and rarely interact. To get the full benefit of this complex, we’ll need to build structures and habits that encourage regular communication and shared work. The legislature’s intent is clear: co-locating these agencies should make it easier to align workforce, education, and economic development efforts.

Looking ahead five years, what does success look like for North Carolina and for the system?

Success for me is simple: we remain the No. 1 state for business because we’re No. 1 in workforce development. That requires aligning programs with local needs across all 100 counties. Our system was designed to bring higher education close to home, especially for people who might not otherwise have access, and that mission remains as important as ever.

I’m especially focused on the 40% of high-school graduates in North Carolina who aren’t going to college. We need to reach them, help them see a path into postsecondary training, and show them how even a short-term credential can lead to a living-wage career. The new workforce Pell program will help us open doors for many of those students.

Enrollment has grown for three straight years, which tells me people see the value of what we offer. I hope that all students who graduate from one of our colleges step into jobs that support them and their families. If we can continue doing that at scale across the state, then North Carolina’s future is bright.

Want more? Read the Invest: Raleigh-Durham report.