Press Releases

The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) approved 11 grant requests to local governments totaling $4,127,500, N.C. Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland announced today. The requests include commitments to create a total of 460 jobs, 307 of which were previously announced.

BestCo LLC, a developer and manufacturer of consumer healthcare products, will create 141 jobs as it expands its manufacturing center in Iredell County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest an additional $47.5 million in the facility, located in Mooresville.

AveXis, Inc., a leading gene therapy company developing treatments for rare and life-threatening neurological diseases, will create 200 jobs as it expands its manufacturing center in Durham County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The new center was first announced in May of last year.&n

The North Carolina Department of Commerce issued more than 75,000 Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) certifications to more than 2,500 employers in 2018, the department’s Workforce Solutions division announced today. Both figures represented increases from 2017.

Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) increased in 99 of North Carolina’s counties in December and remained unchanged in one. Hyde County had the highest unemployment rate at 8.6 percent, while Buncombe County had the lowest at 3.0 percent.

To promote workforce development and strengthen connections between education and job readiness, Governor Roy Cooper has declared the week of January 28-February 1, 2019 as Career Pathways Week in North Carolina.

The North Carolina Department of Commerce is investing $260,000 in Downtown Strong, a program to build local government capacity by providing economic development planning and revitalization resources and guidance.

The state’s seasonally adjusted December unemployment rate was 3.6 percent, remaining unchanged from November’s revised rate. The national rate increased 0.2 of a percentage point to 3.9 percent.

Six North Carolina companies received 2018 Governor’s Export Awards Monday in a ceremony highlighting their success in increasing overseas sales, as well as the significant role exporting plays in the state’s economy.

The North Carolina Department of Commerce, the state’s lead agency for workforce and economic development, marked another successful year in 2018.