sound of liquid pouring in a glass
sound of liquid pouring in a glass

background crowd noise
background crowd noise

uptempo music
uptempo music

uptempo music
uptempo music

uptempo music
uptempo music

North Carolina is home to great people
North Carolina is home to great people

great places, great arts, education, innovation,
great places, great arts, education, innovation,

climate, industry, sports.... In many ways
climate, industry, sports.... In many ways

it's an ideal place to live, work, and play and it's getting
it's an ideal place to live, work, and play and it's getting

even better. North Carolina is now the epicenter of a craft beverage explosion
even better. North Carolina is now the epicenter of a craft beverage explosion

with dozens of microbreweries, microdistilleries, and wineries--
with dozens of microbreweries, microdistilleries, and wineries--

adding to an already impressive share of this growing industry.
adding to an already impressive share of this growing industry.

Fuelling this explosion fundamentally
Fuelling this explosion fundamentally

is QUALITY. Water quality, quality of life,
is QUALITY. Water quality, quality of life,

and workforce quality. The water quality we get by luck.
and workforce quality. The water quality we get by luck.

Quality of life is excellent and improving all the time
Quality of life is excellent and improving all the time

and the workforce that's the best news of all.
and the workforce that's the best news of all.

In collaboration with an international roster
In collaboration with an international roster

of brewing experts our North Carolina Community Colleges developed
of brewing experts our North Carolina Community Colleges developed

and now offer the nation's first two-year associate degree
and now offer the nation's first two-year associate degree

in brewing, distillation, and fermentation. "The programs that we have
in brewing, distillation, and fermentation. "The programs that we have

coming out of the North Carolina Community College System are invaluable to the
coming out of the North Carolina Community College System are invaluable to the

growth of the industry in this state."
growth of the industry in this state."

"We have in this state now a pool of
"We have in this state now a pool of

candidates that are growing into
candidates that are growing into

a really educated workforce that we don't see in other places in the country."
a really educated workforce that we don't see in other places in the country."

"The feedback from those local breweries is that that these students
"The feedback from those local breweries is that that these students

are smart, they're well-trained, they've got a very good handle
are smart, they're well-trained, they've got a very good handle

on the craft beverage industry." Word has spread about our groundbreaking program
on the craft beverage industry." Word has spread about our groundbreaking program

and students have started enrolling from all over the country.
and students have started enrolling from all over the country.

There's a great vibe in these classes. No competition,
There's a great vibe in these classes. No competition,

just camaraderie. "I think that one of the strengths of it is that it is a
just camaraderie. "I think that one of the strengths of it is that it is a

community college rather than a graduate program."
community college rather than a graduate program."

"I think that people are approaching this from a working standpoint rather than a
"I think that people are approaching this from a working standpoint rather than a

theory standpoint. I think that's super important."
theory standpoint. I think that's super important."

"We like having a local pipeline
"We like having a local pipeline

to train brewing science students
to train brewing science students

and it's been valuable to us. I know
and it's been valuable to us. I know

as fast as the craft brewing community is growing here that the program at
as fast as the craft brewing community is growing here that the program at

A-B Tech will grow as well."
A-B Tech will grow as well."

"This program gave me a great foundation for working in the brewing industry."
"This program gave me a great foundation for working in the brewing industry."

"These people really know their stuff."
"These people really know their stuff."

"We hired him and he hit the ground running.
"We hired him and he hit the ground running.

It's fantastic to have a local resource
It's fantastic to have a local resource

with Community College putting out qualified people
with Community College putting out qualified people

that we can pull from and use here at the brewery."
that we can pull from and use here at the brewery."

"You cannot put a price on it.
"You cannot put a price on it.

It's almost invaluable because that's what my base is."
It's almost invaluable because that's what my base is."

"The instruction is really good, what we're seeing is the guys are coming in
"The instruction is really good, what we're seeing is the guys are coming in

and they really know what they're talking about. It's a fantastic program."
and they really know what they're talking about. It's a fantastic program."

Each school has the basic curriculum which includes
Each school has the basic curriculum which includes

fermentation production, calculations, microbiology
fermentation production, calculations, microbiology

filtration, safety and sanitation, and associated process technologies
filtration, safety and sanitation, and associated process technologies

and each school has specialty track that offer enhancement beyond the basics.
and each school has specialty track that offer enhancement beyond the basics.

Students can learn about brewing related agriculture
Students can learn about brewing related agriculture

malting, mechatronics, packaging logistics
malting, mechatronics, packaging logistics

marketing and serving depending on where their interests lead them.
marketing and serving depending on where their interests lead them.

There are plenty of job skills needed in this industry beyond the obvious ones
There are plenty of job skills needed in this industry beyond the obvious ones

like the brewers and pub employees.
like the brewers and pub employees.

I took this great class at Blue Ridge Community College in Henderson County
I took this great class at Blue Ridge Community College in Henderson County

and it was called the business of beer which was really really helpful
and it was called the business of beer which was really really helpful

in getting my foot in the door. If you're more mechanically inclined you may want
in getting my foot in the door. If you're more mechanically inclined you may want

to go into packaging.
to go into packaging.

If you really love the science side of it you may want to go in the lab.
If you really love the science side of it you may want to go in the lab.

Pump maintenance is really important. Being able to do electrician work
Pump maintenance is really important. Being able to do electrician work

and plumbing work
and plumbing work

is very important. Those hands on skills that are often seen as sort of a
is very important. Those hands on skills that are often seen as sort of a

vocational skill
vocational skill

are very very important in a brewery. Community college based programs
are very very important in a brewery. Community college based programs

really fufill that need, getting
really fufill that need, getting

people trained, getting people in position
people trained, getting people in position

to get those jobs. This entrepreneurial
to get those jobs. This entrepreneurial

economic engine is infusing new energy and
economic engine is infusing new energy and

optimism into these communities generating jobs in revenue
optimism into these communities generating jobs in revenue

as it draws tourists and aficionados from all over the country.
as it draws tourists and aficionados from all over the country.

I think it's great that people can be trained locally
I think it's great that people can be trained locally

to produce something this good locally. It's excellent.
to produce something this good locally. It's excellent.

They have a great experience and they want to come back
They have a great experience and they want to come back

and they tell all their friends that they need to try that beer.
and they tell all their friends that they need to try that beer.

Whatever beer that was. But of course beer
Whatever beer that was. But of course beer

isn't the whole story. North Carolina's vineyards are already well known
isn't the whole story. North Carolina's vineyards are already well known

and now we can boast cideries, microdistilleries
and now we can boast cideries, microdistilleries

and even sake producers. We have about 130 different breweries
and even sake producers. We have about 130 different breweries

in the state right now, another 50 breweries in planning. We have a huge
in the state right now, another 50 breweries in planning. We have a huge

economic
economic

impact in North Carolina.
impact in North Carolina.

We do about eight hundred million dollars a year. We have 10,000 jobs.
We do about eight hundred million dollars a year. We have 10,000 jobs.

Three hundred million dollars worth of wages. As you've seen North Carolina is
Three hundred million dollars worth of wages. As you've seen North Carolina is

positively
positively

bursting with growth in craft beverages but the market is far from being tapped
bursting with growth in craft beverages but the market is far from being tapped

out.
out.

It's so interesting for breweries that are looking to expand.
It's so interesting for breweries that are looking to expand.

When they're looking at North Carolina, they are seeing
When they're looking at North Carolina, they are seeing

a brewing educated population and it makes it a lot easier for them to stay.
a brewing educated population and it makes it a lot easier for them to stay.

I can open a brewery here because there are smart people here.
I can open a brewery here because there are smart people here.

There are people that know what I need. I can hire
There are people that know what I need. I can hire

and I don't have to spend a lot of extra money on training. Whether you're looking
and I don't have to spend a lot of extra money on training. Whether you're looking

for a career in the brewing industry
for a career in the brewing industry

or in a related field or want to relocate or start your own business.
or in a related field or want to relocate or start your own business.

North Carolina is the place to be. It's just a really
North Carolina is the place to be. It's just a really

really fantastic place to be a brewery and to drink beer.
really fantastic place to be a brewery and to drink beer.

It's just a no brainer, our community colleges will get you started.
It's just a no brainer, our community colleges will get you started.

The rest of the story is up to you and remember
The rest of the story is up to you and remember

any good story deserves a toast. Cheers!
any good story deserves a toast. Cheers!

Cheers!
Cheers!

For more information visit our website at
For more information visit our website at

ncbionetwork.org
ncbionetwork.org