Topics Related to Labor Market

North Carolina's Labor and Economic Analysis Division (LEAD) has released the 2026 Star Jobs ratings, which provide a simple, user-friendly way to assess career opportunities across the state. Using a 1-to-5 scale based on wages, projected growth, demand, and education/skill requirements, the ratings help identify occupations with stronger long-term potential. The 2026 ratings show good career opportunities exist in every region of the state, with higher ratings in occupations requiring postsecondary education.

When we examine our state’s workforce programs, one theme consistently emerges: the most effective programs by far are the ones that allow trainees to “earn while they learn”. These work-based learning programs, including apprenticeships, paid work experience, and on-the-job training, are designed to bridge the gap between education and employment by allowing individuals to gain hands-on experience while developing in-demand skills. This article outlines the case for work-based learning, showing how these programs address critical needs in our labor market and may be particularly beneficial

Previous LEAD research has shown that registered apprenticeships have a positive, causal impact on laid-off workers, leading to higher rates of employment and higher earnings for nearly a decade after job loss. But do registered apprenticeships produce similar benefits for other populations? In this article, we examine the impact of registered apprenticeships on recent high school graduates, tracking how participation affects employment and earnings over a ten-year period.

This blog concludes our three-part series on North Carolina's employment outlook. In Part 1, we explored statewide job trends, while Part 2 concentrated on industry outlooks across substate regions. This final article examines how occupational trends play out across regions, where growth is concentrated, and how job opportunities differ across the state.

This blog is part of a three-part series on North Carolina’s employment outlook. In Part 1, we explored statewide job trends. This second installment looks at how industry growth differs across North Carolina — and where economic activity is expected to expand over the next decade. The next and final part will examine how job opportunities vary across regions.

The Labor and Economic Analysis Division (LEAD) has recently released North Carolina's long-term employment projections through 2034. This blog is the first in a three-part series highlighting key statewide trends and findings.

In this edition of NC Economy Watch, we examine the employment data revisions just released by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Like last year, this year’s revisions point to a widespread labor market slowdown, with most of North Carolina’s industry sectors and metro areas seeing downward revisions. In addition, these revisions show the Asheville area experiencing a persistent shortfall in employment following the impact of Hurricane Helene, demonstrating the challenges faced by Western North Carolina in achieving a complete economic recovery.

This article uses data from the Common Follow-up System (CFS) to explore trends in health-related degree completion across North Carolina’s public higher education systems. Specifically, it focuses on bachelor’s degree graduates in Health Professions and Related Programs and Registered Nursing majors at UNC System institutions and associate’s degree in Health Sciences and Nursing majors at North Carolina community colleges.

Last month, LEAD introduced the County Economic Vitality Index — a composite measure of the economy for all 100 North Carolina counties. Scores are benchmarked annually against the U.S. average across unemployment, wages, median household income, and educational attainment. We also shared 10 key findings from the data revealing patterns in NC's economic geography.

Today, we're making it easier to explore those patterns yourself through the County EVI interactive dashboard.

In 2023 and 2024, an increase in immigration contributed to population, labor force, and employment growth nationwide and in North Carolina, but new data show that immigration slowed in 2025. This article examines how these changes have shaped the state’s labor market in recent years and what they may mean for North Carolina in the years ahead.