Press Releases

North Carolina First Lady Kristin Cooper commended North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Division of Workforce Solutions (DWS) employees today for leading a statewide drive to benefit young people in North Carolina’s out-of-home care system. Raleigh-based DWS staff launched the Luggage of Hope service project to provide luggage and toiletries to ease transitions for children in foster care.

Sensus USA, Inc., a provider of advanced metering technologies to utilities and municipalities, will expand its current operations in Durham County, creating 301 new jobs over five years, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest $4 million in North Carolina by the end of 2019.

Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in 60 of North Carolina’s counties in May, increased in eight, and remained unchanged in 32.  Scotland County had the highest unemployment rate at 7.5 percent, while Buncombe County had the lowest at 2.8 percent.  Seven of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases, one increased, and seven remained unchanged.

The North Carolina Department of Commerce approved 10 grant requests totaling more than $14 million through the Rural ReadySites program, Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland announced today. 

The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) approved 23 grant requests totaling $17,021,540, N.C. Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland announced today. The requests include commitments to create a total of 425 jobs, 186 of which were previously announced. The public investment in these projects will attract $117.6 million in private investment. 

The state’s seasonally adjusted May unemployment rate was 4.3 percent, decreasing 0.1 of a percentage point from April’s revised rate.  The national rate decreased 0.1 of a percentage point to 3.8 percent. North Carolina’s May 2018 unemployment rate decreased 0.2 of a percentage point from a year ago.  The number of people employed increased 12,280 over the month to 4,774,254 and increased 64,944 over the year. The number of people unemployed decreased 5,969 over the month to 213,611 and decreased 6,727 over the year..   

The Government Performance Lab (GPL) at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University announced today that North Carolina will benefit from the assistance of a government performance expert, at no cost to taxpayers. This new collaboration between the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Harvard Kennedy School marks the first time that the state has been awarded technical assistance by the GPL.  North Carolina was one of six jurisdictions selected to receive pro bono technical assistance. 

North Carolina has received Area Development magazine’s 2018 Gold Shovel Award, recognizing the state’s success in winning high-impact economic development projects last year. In 2017, North Carolina experienced one of its best years for new job recruitment in over a decade. The state is one of only five receiving a 2018 Gold Shovel Award. Area Development magazine, which covers site selection and facility planning, considers a state’s top 10 job creation and investment projects when granting the award.

The North Carolina Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NC Neighborhood) has awarded a total of $7.5 million in grants to 10 localities. The program provides federal funds from the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) to communities to help address economic and community development needs, primarily for the benefit of low- and moderate- income residents.

With Governor Roy Cooper in attendance, the NCWorks Commission met on May 23 to approve new Career Pathways, certify Career Centers and celebrate local innovations in workforce development. The group held its quarterly meeting at Moretz Mills in Hickory, marking the first time the Commission has met in western North Carolina.