High Country Workforce Development Board

About Us

The High Country Workforce Development Board is a business-led organization serving as the catalyst for workforce development in Avery, Alleghany, Ashe, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey Counties.


The mission of the High Country Workforce Development Board (HCWDB) is to help employers meet their workforce needs, help individuals build careers, strengthen the local economy, and meet the challenges of the global competition.

Our work reaches people who include adults seeking more meaningful careers, dislocated workers aiming to regain employment, and youth focused on getting the right start in life. We also represent employers from a broad range of leading industries that need workers with the training, skills and dedication to produce important products and services for a global marketplace. For both, we help guide the efforts of public and community resources to enhance North Carolina’s workforce capabilities.
Whether unemployed or underemployed, searching for a new job can be frustrating and overwhelming. You need all the resources you can get – and you need them free, fast, and easy.

The High Country Workforce Development Board can help.

We provide jobseekers with a variety of no-cost resources including workshops, networking opportunities, job fairs, coaching, and (depending on eligibility) training support to help you find your next career.

Each Workforce Center in the High Country offers services specifically for employers.