About Us

About Higher Ed Works

A Champion for Strong NC Public Higher Education 

Higher Ed Works is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-partisan organization with a mission to drive public support for, and state investment in, NC public higher education. We’d like to see:

• A better-educated NC population.
• Increased public awareness and support for NC higher education systems and programs.
• Sustained legislative support and investment in our higher education systems.

About Routes to Jobs NC

Connecting Higher Ed to Jobs

Higher Ed Works is rolling out the Routes to Jobs NC initiative in order to inspire more North Carolinians to pursue and/or complete postsecondary credentials.

We believe that high-quality postsecondary education paves the way for all North Carolinians to achieve their full potential, improve economic mobility, and realize life goals. According to research from Pew Charitable Trust, with postsecondary credentials, 90% of our poorest citizens can climb out of poverty. Without postsecondary credentials, 47% will remain stuck. Additionally, the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce has found that beginning in the year 2020, 67% of North Carolina jobs will require postsecondary education and training beyond high school. Therefore, for low income North Carolinians, the path to upward mobility and better pay goes through the postsecondary education, skills, and credentials needed to fill the available well-paying jobs.

The Routes to Jobs NC website is designed to be a clear and concise starting point in providing guidance for North Carolinians looking for resources and opportunities in a specific county. We hope you will find this information useful as you start, begin, or complete your postsecondary education.

This initiative is made possible through the generous support of the Maynard Family Foundation, Mebane Foundation and Reynolds American.