On October 20, 2022, Be Pro Be Proud, Inc officially welcomed its fourth state into the fold with the introduction of two new Mobile Workshops in North Carolina.
The North Carolina Home Builders Association has led the effort to bring Be Pro Be Proud to their state; Tim Minton, Executive VP, and Tracie Garrett, Director of Special Events, have devoted many hours to working with state legislators and with Be Pro Be Proud, Inc Executive Director Andrew Parker to craft a plan to get the Mobile Workshops up and running throughout North Carolina.
Many dignitaries from the NC State Legislature, the NC Department of Labor, and the NC Department of Public Instruction attended the opening ceremony, which culminated in both trucks enthusiastically sounding their horns to signal the beginning of the Be Pro Be Proud presence that will soon be seen at middle schools, high schools, and tech schools throughout the state.
Be Pro Be Proud, Inc. is a workforce development initiative operation that is committed to changing perceptions around technical careers through the use of virtual reality experiences and hands-on simulators; to date, more than 180,000 visitors have experienced the Mobile Workshops throughout Arkansas, South Carolina, Georgia, and now North Carolina since the inception of Be Pro Be Proud in 2016.
Notable quotes:
“This [Be Pro Be Proud] could be considered a six-year overnight success.” --Randy Zook, President, Board of Directors of Be Pro Be Proud, Inc.
“The interactive workshops and professional development programs are showing Americans there is more than one pathway to the American dream. Having Be Pro Be Proud in North Carolina will be a tremendous asset to our workforce and to our economy, and my hope is that these types of programs will help close our country’s skills gap and put more Americans on the path to prosperity.” --U.S. Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (NC)
“My involvement in Be Pro Be Proud is one of the things I will be most proud of during my career.” --Josh Dobson, NC Commissioner of Labor
“We need initiatives like Be Pro Be Proud because kids don’t know what they don’t know.” --Rep. Jason Saine, NC General Assembly
“We do a disservice as a society, telling students that they need a four-year degree to succeed.” --Sen. Todd Johnson, NC General Assembly
“If 22% of NC students get a four-year degree, and another 9% get a two-year credential, where are the other 69%? This is why we need Be Pro Be Proud.” --Catherine Truitt, NC Superintendent of Public Instruction
“The question we should be asking students is not ‘where do you want to go to school,’ but instead, ‘what do you want to DO?’” --Tim Minton, EVP, NC Home Builders Association
Visit the BPBP-NC website at www.beprobeproudnc.org.
