Workforce Development

ApprenticeshipNC

The Results

Transforming Talent Pipelines for Business & Job Opportunities

Exponential Program Growth: Achieved a 100% increase in employer participation, dramatically expanding opportunities.
Doubled Apprenticeship Engagement: Nearly doubled the number of people using apprenticeship programs to learn skills and secure employment.
Significant Business Buy-In: Drove a 45% increase in Registered Apprenticeships and a 50% increase in pre-apprenticeships offered by businesses.
Amplified Reach and Awareness: Generated over 3,500+ clicks to the program website, demonstrating strong market interest and engagement.

The Situation

A Critical Skills Gap Limiting Regional Growth

Businesses struggled to find skilled talent, while job seekers lacked clear pathways and training for in-demand careers. This disconnect was worsened by a narrow public perception of apprenticeships—often limited to traditional trades, despite ApprenticeshipNC offering diverse opportunities in fields like IT, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing. The campaign aimed to modernize this image and attract businesses to build a stronger talent pipeline.

Strategic Insights

A Dual-Pronged Approach to Connect Supply and Demand

The strategy moved beyond traditional job placement to actively build the talent pipeline from both ends.

Making the Business Case for Apprenticeships: For employers, we reframed apprenticeships from a temporary program to a long-term strategic solution. We demonstrated the ROI of "growing your own" talent pipeline, reducing recruitment costs, and increasing retention, which led to a dramatic surge in business-sponsored opportunities.
Creating Visible Pathways for Job Seekers: For potential apprentices, we simplified the journey from interest to application. A focused awareness campaign highlighted the "earn while you learn" model and direct path to a career, making these opportunities more accessible and attractive, which drove a surge in participation.

This strategic, two-sided engagement turned a fragmented system into a cohesive pipeline, delivering qualified talent to businesses and life-changing careers to individuals.

Strategic Insights

We transform how mission-driven organizations reach the communities that need them most in North Carolina and beyond.

vitalink® is a strategic marketing partner for leaders in health, life sciences, education, workforce development, and social innovation. We don’t just build campaigns; we build bridges. By integrating deep sector intelligence with a passionate understanding of the barriers communities face, from social determinants of health to educational access and economic opportunity, we create strategies that are insightful, authentic, and powerfully effective. We use language that your audience will hear, not tune out.