Smithfield Foods has donated $1 million to launch the Southeastern Education and Economic Development (SEED) apprenticeship program in North Carolina. A partnership between the North Carolina Business Committee for Education (NCBCE) and Smithfield Foods, SEED is a comprehensive youth apprenticeship program that will provide career pathways and college education for high school students in southeastern North Carolina counties.
“Smithfield is strongly committed to making sure students have educational opportunities that will fuel their careers in the years ahead,” said Steve Evans, vice president of community development for Smithfield. “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. This is just one of the many ways Smithfield supports our communities in North Carolina and across the U.S.”