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RALEIGH – Monday is the start of N.C. State's 25th annual Emerging Issues Forum, a chance for minds from across the state and across country to come together to discuss ways to move North Carolina forward.

This year's theme is "Creativity" and that means finding innovative ways to push job growth in the state.

“We moved from the traditional, agricultural and manufacturing economy to more of the technology kinds of things, knowledge base. Now, to make the knowledge base work, we have to make our people more creative,” former Gov. Jim Hunt said.

"We've got people from across the country that are going to be sharing best practices and who are going to be inspiring us with their own notions of what creativity is, and what it will mean,” said Anita Brown-Graham, director of the Emerging Issues Institute.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has led his state in a similar effort to create jobs. He'll share ideas with North Carolina's leaders about doing the same thing here.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will explain how creativity in the classroom can prepare students for jobs in the future.

For many years, the UNC School of the Arts has been training young people for jobs in creative industries. Students will get a chance to demonstrate their education's return on investment when they perform.

“Our creativity is the envy of the world. Our industries in creativity are always admired, never outsourced, and they are exported to every corner of the globe,” UNCSA Chancellor John Mauceri said of America's creative industries.

Hunt believes that kind of inspiration will make this year's forum the best ever.

"I guarantee they'll be more stimulated than they ever have been in their lives,” He said.

Gov. Bev Perdue will also be there to discuss her North Carolina Innovation Council. The Emerging Issues Forum will be held at at the Raleigh Convention Center.

Stay with News 14 Carolina on Monday and Tuesday for continued coverage of the Emerging Issues Forum.