North Carolina's employers are facing real workforce shortages and there's a largely untapped talent pool in plain sight. NC Commerce data consistently identifies unfilled positions in construction, healthcare support, logistics, and manufacturing as among the most critical gaps in our state's economy. Meanwhile, thousands of North Carolinians with justice involvement are ready and motivated to work yet they're being screened out before they even get a conversation. The NC Reentry 2030 Strategic Plan explicitly commits to increasing second chance employer partnerships by 30% by 2030, with the full backing of the Governor's office and every cabinet agency. The state recognizes that economic mobility for formerly incarcerated people is not separate from workforce development strategy; it is workforce development strategy. The desistance research makes the workforce case even stronger: job stability is a turning point. People who secure consistent, meaningful employment are far less ...