The Monthly e-Newsletter for Catawba County's Existing Industries

Upcoming Military Hiring Events  

Talent is in great demand. You will find no better talent than transitioning veterans and their families.
 
Efforts are underway to organize another Welcome Home, Hickory Metro recruitment weekend in April (details forthcoming in 2018), but there are many other veteran hiring events in the coming months:
  • Soldier for Life Hiring Event (Fort Bragg): Thursday, January 25 (9AM-4PM) 
$295 to participate in this pre-matched hiring event. Companies will have the opportunity to screen resumes, select candidates and schedule interviews on the day of the event.  Candidates are matched to your job description and criteria. 
 
The registration deadline for employers is December 22 (soon!).  Please click here for the registration form, complete ASAP and send back into the email addresses provided. 
Free to participate, which secures you a table, hiring event portal access.  Registration is open now and closes January 3.
 
This also is a pre-matched hiring event, very similar to the Soldier for Life event mentioned above.   
Free to participate and registration fills up quickly.
 
This event is a typical open job fair - with many vet attendees, but also many competing companies in the mix (Fortune 100, etc.). 
Catawba Military Taskforce - Plan of Work  

Large initiatives like " Welcome Home, Hickory Metro (WHHM)" do not happen on their own.
 
Behind the inaugural effort in September, there was a very active group of volunteers that created, organized and carried out this very successful recruitment event.
 
This group has evolved into the Catawba Military Taskforce and continues to meet bi-weekly in an effort to find not only more means to tap into this significant talent pipeline, but to advocate for a community that becomes broadly known for its support of veterans and their families.
 
This young group - consisting of representatives from companies, non-profits and governments (many of which are veterans themselves) - has developed an initial plan of work based upon three guiding principles: Awareness, Access and Advocacy.
 
The plan of work for 2018:
  • Establish a significant social media and communications presence
  • Continue to develop relationships with local and on-base transition organizations; seek to understand the resources and audiences they assist
  • Continue HR educational opportunities for companies to better access veteran talent
  • Develop local veteran(s) contact database, with hope to eventually develop "Battle Buddies" Mentor program
  • Understand and seek new educational/training opportunities for local underemployed veterans

Vol. 9, Issue 5 - 

December 2017   
In This Issue
Military Hiring Events
Military Taskforce
EDC Plan of Work
K-64 $10,000 Challenge
EDC Plan of Work - 2018

Each year the Catawba County EDC develops a plan of work to focus the organization's energies towards several key areas.
 
In addition to the EDC's traditional areas of focus, there will be efforts working with private and public partners to:
  • Continue much-needed building and site development throughout the County
  • Encourage and support population growth and talent initiatives
  • Marketing outreach to target industrial sectors and target geographies
You may view the EDC's 2018 Plan of Work here.
 
Temprano Techvestors Issues K-64 Fundraising Challenge 
"We don't just want to ensure a future for businesses and families in this region, but we desire a future where we grow and thrive through innovation and invention. To do this, our educators must be supported to inspire our children at an early age.  K-64 is the first vehicle in this county to have the potential to make an impact in this area." - Luke Walling, Temprano Techvestors
 
Temprano Techvestors is issuing a challenge to the Catawba community -
for each dollar raised by Dec. 31st to support the K-64 initiative, Temprano will match it up to $10,000.
 
K-64 (Kindergarten to age 64) is an educational and economic development initiative to prepare all students to be college and career ready in a global economy, while supporting the local workforce and economic growth. To learn more about K-64 and six key objectives, please click here.
 
If you or your company would like to answer this challenge, please click here for details and donation instructions.
 
Thank you for your time and interest,
Nathan Huret
Director, Existing Industry Services 
Office - (828) 267-1564          Cell - (828) 244-3085