CAWD Wins WIOA Trailblazer Award from National Association of Workforce Boards

RALEIGH, NC (May 27, 2021)—The National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) recently announced Capital Area Workforce Development (CAWD) as the winner of the WIOA Trailblazer Award. The award will be presented at NAWB’s upcoming event The Forum 2021 in Washington, D.C.

“Over the past year, workforce development boards, leaders and industry partners have gone above and beyond to provide essential services in a time of national crisis,” said Ron Painter, President and CEO of NAWB. “NAWB could not be more honored to recognize each of these award recipients. Workforce development boards are a critical piece of our country’s infrastructure, and we are thrilled to take a moment to recognize them at our annual event.”

Pat Sturdivant, Executive Director at CAWD said, “This award is a reflection of the hard work put in by our staff, partners, and board members who relish thinking outside the box to improve service delivery and outcomes for our customers. I am so proud to be accepting this award.”

CAWD was selected out of a large pool of nominations. The Awards Committee was very impressed with Capital Area’s comprehensive strategic planning initiatives and implementation outcomes. The use of mission ambassadors, the focus on apprenticeships and entrepreneurship, and development of certified career pathways represented one of the most comprehensive submissions that aligned with the criteria and vision of the Trailblazer award.

This is the second NAWB award CAWD has received. The Laurie Moran Partnership Award was received in 2019 for the organization’s work with the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce/Wake County Economic Development to advance workforce and economic development in the area.

To learn more about all of the award winners and NAWB’s annual event The Forum, please visit: https://forum.nawb.org/.