When people think of North Carolina, they often picture two places: the Research Triangle that encompasses Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill; or the booming skyline of Charlotte. Across North Carolina and the nation, employers are searching for welders, electricians, linemen, HVAC technicians, mechanics, plumbers, and machinists. North Carolina is already proving that this model works. North Carolina is finding that some of the most effective workforce programs are those that allow students to earn while they learn. For rural North Carolina, that’s not just good education policy.