SHRM Foundation Spotlights a Remarkable North Carolina Partnership
At the 2025 NCSHRM State Conference in Greensboro, N.C., Emily M. Dickens, J.D., SHRM chief of staff and head of government affairs, announced a new collaboration between the SHRM Foundation, the North Carolina SHRM State Council (NCSHRM), and myFutureNC. The partnership will build innovative employment pathways for opportunity youth and expand opportunities for other untapped talent populations across the state. Dickens made the announcement during her keynote remarks on Sept. 25.
The effort underscores SHRM’s Education-to-Employment (E²) Initiative, which seeks to repair the nation’s education-to-employment pipeline and strengthen employer leadership in workforce development. Dickens highlighted the importance of employer engagement in addressing workforce participation gaps and positioning North Carolina as a leader in developing practical, far-reaching talent solutions.
“This partnership aligns resources and demonstrates the E² Initiative’s objective: repairing the education-to-employment pipeline,” Dickens said. “We will work with NCSHRM and our statewide chapters and members to engage workplaces in practical, far-reaching talent solutions.”
A key partner in the initiative is myFutureNC, which has set one of the most ambitious workforce development goals in the nation: ensuring that 2 million North Carolinians ages 25-44 hold an industry-valued credential or postsecondary degree by 2030. Dickens noted that this goal enjoys bipartisan support, recognizing the critical need to link education and employment for North Carolina’s competitiveness.
Cecilia Holden, president and CEO of myFutureNC, was recognized during the announcement, with Dickens noting the organization’s central role in driving alignment between employers, educators, and policymakers. Katrina Gooch, SHRM-SCP, president of NCSHRM, was also acknowledged for her leadership in engaging SHRM Members and workplaces statewide in the year ahead.
By aligning employer leadership, state education priorities, and HR expertise, this collaboration demonstrates how SHRM and its partners can help set higher standards for workforce development. The initiative positions North Carolina as a model for building durable connections between education and employment, with lessons that can be applied nationally.
An organization run by AI is not a futuristic concept. Such technology is already a part of many workplaces and will continue to shape the labor market and HR. Here's how employers and employees can successfully manage generative AI and other AI-powered systems.
Related Content
Learn how Marsh McLennan successfully boosts staff well-being with digital tools, improving productivity and work satisfaction for more than 20,000 employees.
The proliferation of artificial intelligence in the workplace, and the ensuing expected increase in productivity and efficiency, could help usher in the four-day workweek, some experts predict.
As artificial intelligence technology continues to develop, the demand for workers with the ability to work alongside and manage AI systems will increase. This means that workers who are not able to adapt and learn these new skills will be left behind in the job market.