The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina has a corporate side which is committed to seeking innovation by constantly developing new strategies in business to better serve its people.

Lumbee Holdings, Inc., a federal contractor for the United States Government, is comprised of three subsidiary companies which are bringing much-needed resources and helping to create employment opportunities locally and worldwide, making it one of the major economic engines of the Southeast.

“We are a forward-thinking company,” stated CEO Joshua Malcolm in a press release. “We want to show the world that the Lumbee Tribe is thriving economically, and we hope to become a dominant force in commerce.”

One of the most recent ideas introduced by Malcolm was to incorporate an apprenticeship program in which young Lumbee students could gain real-world experience and skills while being exposed to the various aspects of the workforce.

Through a partnership with Robeson Community College and ApprenticeshipNC, Lumbee Holdings, Inc. garnered three apprentices, in which a portion of their wages would be subsidized through the State of North Carolina. Apprentices must complete 2,000 hours and as an added benefit, apprentices receive assistance with tuition, making it a win-win for both the employer and the students.

“I really appreciated the exposure I have received through the apprenticeship,” stated Seth Bullard, an IT apprentice for Lumbee Holdings, Inc, in a press release. “A lot of times I was able to flip-flop between school and work as far as learning, so I was learning stuff from school and applying it to work, and I was learning stuff at work and able to apply it to school.”

Bullard recently graduated from Robeson Community College with a degree in Information Technology. He is currently enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. He has been an apprentice for approximately one year.

For Benjamin Brooks, a business and marketing apprentice, the exposure and the experience have been an opportunity of a lifetime.

“You’re not going to find a job where you are going to find the amount of experience and exposure you get here as far as the work that you are doing,” said Brooks in a press release. “A lot of times with apprenticeships, you’re going to be shadowing somebody, maybe sitting at a desk and you’re on your phone the whole time not really doing anything, but Lumbee Holdings, Inc. has really provided a lot of hands-on experience and opportunities and you meet a lot of people.”

“Lumbee Holdings, Inc. lets you do significant work,” stated Aaron Lowry, an accounting apprentice for Lumbee Holdings, in a press release. “It shines the light on the opportunities out in the world…I didn’t think I was going to be able to be in this kind of corporate setting where I could get the experience and the benefits that I am getting now.

Lowry added, “I am exposed to all the different facets of the company. Most accounting jobs are specialized, whether it’s accounts payable, accounts receivable, or payroll, but I’m doing it all. All the different levels of accounting, I’m getting exposed to it, so that’s my favorite part of the apprenticeship.”

The three apprentices – Seth, Benjamin and Aaron – all work together in a small office down the road from the main headquarters in Pembroke. 

The three are the first Native American apprentices in the ApprenticeshipNC program, and the first Native American apprentices for a federal contractor.

“As an Indian kid, you’re kind of given like, this shielded view of what you can do, because you’re an Indian,” Bullard said in a press release. “This has been big for us, as well as people around us to see that little Indian kids can do bigger things, they can work for federal contractors at 18, 19, 20 years old, so I think that’s pretty crazy, for me it is at least.”

The apprenticeship is also a way that they can all give back.

“The best part about being a Lumbee and working here is you get to feel like you’re helping the community,” Lowry said in a press release. “This company is owned by the Tribe, so the profits that we make, a portion of it goes back to the Tribe and the Tribe uses that money to help the Lumbee people… I love that we can help the community.”

The three hope to see the apprenticeship program grow at Lumbee Holdings, Inc., recognizing the significance it can have on future generations.

“That’s why we hope to continue the apprenticeship program and expand,” stated Malcolm ina press release. “We want our young people to have opportunities to be successful and to realize the dream of an education and become productive citizens who can contribute in meaningful ways to society and the community in which they live.”

“This has been a remarkable journey,” Malcolm added in a press release. “It’s been great having the insight of college students and to have them be a part of our staff. They have a zeal for knowledge and discovering how to do something and we are really pleased with the results we have seen thus far.”

Any business interested in starting an ApprenticeshipNC program within their organization, can contact George Pate, the apprenticeship coordinator, at gpate@robeson.edu or 910-272-3456.

Lumbee Holdings, Inc. is wholly owned by the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.