Governor Josh Stein visited West Henderson High School, where he met with students in the school’s first Healthcare Fellows program. The initiative is a partnership between Henderson County Public Schools, Blue Ridge Community College, AdventHealth Hendersonville, and UNC Health Pardee. It offers students full financial support to pursue health care careers at Blue Ridge Community College.
“North Carolina has the eighth-worst nursing shortage in the nation, and rural communities don’t have enough access to primary care, behavioral health, and dental services,” said Governor Josh Stein. “After Hurricane Helene, it is inspiring to see how public schools, community colleges, and employers are coming together to innovate and create new opportunities for students. Their success shows that we must do more, and I am calling on the General Assembly to pass a full budget that invests in our next generation of nurses to address our state’s health care workforce shortage.”
The state legislature has not yet approved a full budget for 2025-2027. Governor Stein’s proposed budget includes funding for colleges and universities aimed at increasing high-demand health care jobs. It also proposes additional resources for North Carolina Area Health Education Centers to boost the number of instructors in the health workforce and make nursing careers more accessible.
Later in the day, Governor Stein attended an event hosted by the Land of Sky Regional Council to recognize contributions from residents of western North Carolina.
“In the wake of Hurricane Helene, local governments and community members sprang into action to rescue those in danger and support homeowners and small business owners to get their lives back on track,” said Governor Josh Stein. “As we continue the ongoing work of rebuilding, Congress and the administration need to get to work to deliver much needed dollars to western North Carolina.”
Governor Stein continues pressing both state lawmakers and federal officials for increased investment in recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene. In February, he traveled to Washington D.C., seeking an additional $11.5 billion from Congress for home rebuilding, infrastructure repair, business continuity measures, local government support, and disaster mitigation projects across western North Carolina. He also visited local businesses as part of VisitNC’s “Rediscover the Unforgettable” campaign designed to promote tourism in the region.
