Maritime initiative aims to keep shipbuilding jobs in NC
China has the world’s largest navy and more than 200 times the shipbuilding capacity of the United States. That's according to a U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence data first reported in July 2023. With American maritime supremacy under threat, a growing consortium of North Carolina colleges, advanced manufacturers, industry suppliers and other workforce development partners has joined forces to answer that national security concern with skilled workers, a tighter supply chain, cybersecurity development and more. Eastern North Carolina and its deep maritime legacy took center stage Nov. 5 at a listening session for the North Carolina Maritime Manufacturing Initiative, held at the K.E. White Graduate Center at Elizabeth City State University (ECSU), which hosted the event. North Carolina State University Industry Expansion Solutions (IES) and the North Carolina Military Business Center (NCMBC) launched the NCMMI in 2025. “What we’re really talking about is finding a workforce for advanced manufacturing,” said Margaret Roberton, vice president for workforce development and chief of staff at Central Carolina Community College, another partner in the initiative. “We have a lot of manufacturing in North Carolina, which I think is fantastic, but we also need to have a robust talent pipeline.” That means not only preparing
