North Carolina Governor Josh Stein has announced that the state will observe “Employ A Veteran Week” from November 10 to 15. The week will feature a series of events aimed at connecting veterans with employment opportunities and support services throughout the state.
“Veterans and their families bring invaluable skills and experience to North Carolina and to all kinds of organizations,” said Governor Josh Stein. “As we strive to be America’s most military-friendly state, we are committed to supporting veterans’ transition to good jobs in the civilian workforce and find new ways to serve.”
N.C. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley highlighted the importance of veterans in the state’s economy. “North Carolina is America’s top state for business because of our workforce, which is strengthened by the talent found among our veterans,” he said. “Our NCWorks Career Centers are proud to help veterans, transitioning servicemembers, and military spouses connect with top employers.”
Jocelyn Mitnaul Mallette, Secretary of the N.C. Department of Military & Veterans Affairs, emphasized the value veterans bring beyond their military service: “Hiring a veteran is more than filling a position; it’s strengthening the foundation of our workforce and our communities. Across North Carolina, veterans bring leadership, discipline, and an unwavering sense of purpose to every mission they take on. They know how to solve problems under pressure, adapt quickly, and lead teams with integrity. Those qualities don’t fade when the uniform comes off; they continue to serve our state’s businesses, schools, and communities every day,” she said. “When North Carolina invests in its veterans, we don’t just honor their service; we strengthen our economy, our families, and our future.”
A range of job fairs, workshops, resource fairs, and informational sessions are scheduled across various counties during Employ A Veteran Week. Events include Off-Base Transition Training workshops in Iredell County; hiring events in Cleveland/Gaston counties; job fairs in Onslow County; resource fairs in McDowell/Burke counties; career expos in Durham; and many others across Wake County, Craven County, Fayetteville, Charlotte, Wilkes County, Pasquotank County, Catawba County, Randolph County, Lincoln County, Guilford County, Buncombe County and Cabarrus County.
The N.C. Department of Commerce works closely with the U.S. Department of Labor through its network of 48 NCWorks Veterans Services professionals—who are all veterans themselves—to assist other veterans in finding employment or training opportunities across local NCWorks Career Centers statewide. These centers also support employers looking for skilled candidates.
In addition to career center services available at www.NCWorks.gov (https://www.ncworks.gov/), both veterans seeking jobs and employers can use the NCWorks Veterans Portal at https://veterans.ncworks.gov/. The portal features resources such as listings from North Carolina employers who have received federal HIRE Vets medallion awards.
Funding for these initiatives comes entirely from the Jobs for Veterans State Grant provided by the U.S. Department of Labor as part of an award totaling $5.6 million.
