High school juniors in Wake County are about to get a paid, fast track into the trades, courtesy of a big check from Michael Bloomberg.
Wake Tech Community College and Wake County Public Schools have rolled out the WakeWorks Youth Apprenticeship Academy, a new partnership that will let students earn tuition-free college credits, pick up industry credentials and collect a paycheck before they even graduate. Bloomberg Philanthropies is backing the effort with a $4 million grant, and leaders say the academy will start with about 60 juniors in January 2027 and serve roughly 250 students over three years.
The goal is straightforward: give teenagers a clear, paid pathway into high-demand careers like electrical work, HVAC, plumbing and other skilled trades while helping local employers plug chronic staffing gaps.
Why Wake County Needs It
Wake County is growing, houses are going up, and the construction industry is hungry for workers. The state expects that need to keep climbing. North Carolina’s construction sector is projected to add nearly 12,800 jobs by 2034, according to the North Carolina Department of Commerce, which puts extra pressure on local training pipelines…