September 2023 Labor Market Overview

On Wednesday, November 8, 2023, you are invited to the region’s first Educational and Workforce Symposium. The A3 Event (Align, Aspire, Achieve) will focus on our region’s innovative practices for educational attainment, and was planned by six local organizations alongside two statewide organizations. Register Now!

Over 100 employers participated in the WNC Career Expo on Wednesday, October.25 at the WNC Agricultural Center.

In this edition of NC Economy Watch, we look at layoff activity in North Carolina. Recent plant closures have rocked local communities and dominated headlines across our state. While these mass layoffs might reflect weakness in parts of the manufacturing sector, they have had only a limited impact on statewide employment statistics and, so far, they do not appear to be signaling a recession.

Employers are offering more paid time off in a strong labor market. Employees are using it.

NCcareers.org is where career explorers can find up-to-date NC specific career information to meet their personal and professional needs, interests and goals. The site has recently received a complete data refresh based on the most recent definition of occupations and educational programs - using the latest BLS SOC and US Department of Education CIP taxonomies.

Wage and benefits increases have eased but remain strong as central bank officials tackle high inflation.

Toyota has announced plans to invest an additional $8 billion in its electric battery manufacturing site in Randolph County, including hiring another 3,000 employees. This historic announcement comes on the heels of Governor Cooper's meeting with Toyota President Koji Sato during the SEUS/Japan Conference in Tokyo earlier this month.

The new state budget gave raises ranging from 3.6 to 10.8% for teachers over the next two years. Teachers can expect their raises by January.

An Upstate company plans to build a $30 million lodging development just outside Brevard.

A new report says Black students in NC are more likely to face disorderly conduct charges and referrals to law enforcement than their white peers.

Sixteen North Carolina public school districts have been selected to join the North Carolina Recovery Practitioners Network, where they will work together with education researchers to develop recovery-focused interventions and evaluation plans to tackle some of the most pressing issues impacting schools and districts

Manufacturing industries play a critical role in local economies, and the foundation of connecting future generations of Transylvania County residents with career opportunities at local manufacturers was built on Wednesday, October18th. Over 65 students from Brevard and Rosman High Schools toured four different manufacturers throughoutTransylvania County celebrating "Manufacturing Day."

This year, a dozen North Carolina school districts will benefit from a total of $800,000 in grants aimed at developing student skills in computer science through coding.

In the innovative field of advanced manufacturing, Blue Ridge Community College graduates shine! We can prepare you for a high-tech, rewarding career in leading advanced manufacturing companies. You'll also enjoy hands-on work and problem solving in the high demand fields that move modern life forward.