Source:  OFFICE OF GOV. PERDUE, 5/20/11

Gov. Perdue and her cabinet secretaries marked week two of her "Education Works" tour -- visiting schools, community colleges and classrooms across North Carolina in an effort to keep the focus on North Carolina's top priority: education.

Gov. Perdue kicked off the week with a jobs announcement in Lincolnton, where Aptar Corporation pledged to create 150 new jobs. The company told the governor that a primary reason they chose North Carolina as the site for their new manufacturing plant is the promise of well trained workers from the Lincoln County campus of Gaston Community College.

The governor took the opportunity to remind business leaders in the audience of the importance education plays in recruiting businesses and growing jobs.

"That concept of an educated workforce is critically important for us in North Carolina and across America," she said.

"I recruit a lot of companies to this state these days, and sometime during the discussion in the final three or four weeks of the company making the decision, after we've gotten beyond incentives and after we've gotten beyond even the quality of life, the CEO will look me in the face and say, 'Governor, we really want to come to North Carolina, but can you promise me ... the quality workforce we need to make good products not just now today ...but for the next year, then next decade the next 20 years?' North Carolina historically has been able to say 'yes.' We cannot go backwards on education."

Gov. Perdue's cabinet secretaries fanned out in communities around the state to echo the governor's message. They visited nearly a dozen cities and towns, from Fayetteville to Asheville to Greensboro, and will continue to spread the "Education Works" message through next week, when the Senate budget proposal is expected to be unveiled.

Gov. Perdue continues to fight budget proposals from Republican leaders in the House and Senate that will result in the largest layoff of education personnel in state history. Click here to watch a short video about the Education Works tour.