Program plants SEED for jobs in Wayne County

In Wayne county on Thursday, Gov. Roy Cooper and Wayne Community College announced a big investment good for both business and students.

The Southeastern Education and Economic Development (SEED) initiative is a partnership with the North Carolina Business Committee for Education and Smithfield Foods to provide on-the-job training and education for students as young as high school.

Students will take up to 15 hours of transferable community college classes at Lenoir or Wayne community colleges and participate in paid, work-based learning training on industrial maintenance.

SEED pays students $15 per hour for 30 hours of work per week and includes a monthly stipend of $350 for materials and transportation. Students also have access to laptops and wi-fi hotspots.

Those who complete the program can continue as apprentices, working towards an associate degree in Industrial Technology and preferred employment opportunities at Smithfield Foods.

“Our goal is to develop the next generation of leaders through supporting education in our communities, and the SEED program is a great way to help these students jump-start their early career development," said Steve Evans, vice president of community development for Smithfield.

Jacob Jones is one of the first Smithfield apprentices.

"I don't know where this is headed, but I know wherever it is this is going to give me the skills and the resources to have one foot forward and be head of the next person," he said.