North Carolina has one of the country’s largest military populations: over 100,000 active-duty service members, nearly 800,000 veterans, and an even larger population of military spouses and children. Their transition into civilian life can benefit from educational pathways and resources, myFutureNC said in a press release.
“From Fort Bragg and Camp Lejeune to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and Coast Guard stations along our coast, the military is a vital part of our state’s identity, communities, and economy,” myFuture said in the release.
According to myFutureNC, over 20,000 service members in North Carolina transition from military to civilian life each year, creating a large pool of high-skilled potential workers. Military spouses face an unemployment rate between 20 and 24% — three to five times higher than the state’s unemployment rate for civilians.
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Education is crucial to make the transition between military to civilian life a success, myFutureNC says. Educational pathways can help this population reenter the workforce, support military-connected students, or pursue a new career path.
These learners are also crucial to the state’s goal of having 2 million residents obtain a high-quality credential or postsecondary degree by 2030. The state has 1.66 million adults with such credentials or degrees as of 2023, according to myFutureNC’s website.
myFutureNC has collected a series of resources available to service members and their families to pursue workforce training, career transitions, or educational opportunities in North Carolina. Take a look:
Education and training
- Heroes Make America: Manufacturing career training for the military community.
- NC Community Colleges military programs: Career training, technical programs, and credit for prior learning.
- NC Department of Military & Veterans Affairs (DMVA): State-level support and resources for veterans, service members, and families.
- Onward to Opportunity (O2O): Free career training and certification support.
- The Honor Foundation (THF): Career transition for Special Operations Forces.
- University of North Carolina System Military Education: Military-friendly campuses, transfer credits, and GI Bill® resources.
Workforce and career transition
- DoD SkillBridge Program: Civilian work experience for service members before separation.
- Hiring Our Heroes (NC Chapter): Transition support for veterans and military spouses.
- NC4ME: Connects employers with skilled military talent.
- NCBiotech MOVE: Transitions military talent into life sciences.
- NCWorks Veterans Portal: Job search, career planning, and veteran hiring initiatives.
- Oplign: Data-driven matching of military talent to jobs.
- 2025 Military Friendly Employers: Recognizes organizations that “create lasting benefits” for the military community.
Support for military-connected students and families
- Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3): Helps students transition between schools across states.
- Military Child Education Coalition: Resources and advocacy for military-connected children.
- MyCAA Scholarship Program: Financial assistance for military spouses pursuing degrees, licenses, or certifications.
- NC Department of Public Instruction: Military Families: Guidance and support for K–12 families in North Carolina.
You can view more information on myFutureNC’s website.
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