The Lead Feed

LEAD has surveyed businesses across North Carolina every two years since 2014 on behalf of the state’s NCWorks Commission, with a particular emphasis on hiring challenges, recruitment and retention, and other business needs. Although fewer businesses reported hiring difficulties than in the previous survey, many employers still struggle with finding the talent they need.

North Carolina has successfully positioned itself as a global leader in manufacturing. But as revealed in a new report from the NC Department of Commerce and NC State’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), Best Practices for Growing Manufacturing in North Carolina, maintaining that edge in the Fourth Industrial Revolution is not without its challenges. Implementing cutting-edge "Industry 4.0" technologies like robotics, the internet of things (IoT), and data analytics won't be easy for employers.

In this edition of NC Economy Watch, we show how our economy is running on “two tracks”, with many households and businesses experiencing the benefits of an expanding economy while others are coming under increasing pressure from high prices, high interest rates, and a weakening labor market.

The Labor & Economic Analysis Division (LEAD) of the NC Department of Commerce and our data user partners are excited to participate in the LMI Data User Insights Academy, supported by the U.S. Department of Labor. Through this program, we aim to improve the understanding and utilization of labor market information (LMI) to support data-driven insights and decisions across the state.

In this edition of NC Economy Watch, we dig into some fresh economic data releases to highlight three labor market trends: a declining rate of labor turnover; an elevated rate of working from home; and a record-high rate of job satisfaction (although with signs of trouble emerging).

Explore our findings on the importance of North Carolina's Portrait of a Graduate (POG) skills across education levels and career clusters. Learn how these durable skills, such as communication and adaptability, are valued in today’s workforce and discover their impact on wages and growth opportunities.

A new report from the NC Department of Commerce and NC State’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), Best Practices for Growing Manufacturing in North Carolina, lays out a critical vision for North Carolina's manufacturing sector to embrace the Fourth Industrial Revolution driven by technologies like robotics, AI and data analytics. Supporting this technological transformation should be an economic imperative.

In this edition of NC Economy Watch, we analyze trends in North Carolina’s labor force participation rate. Labor force participation has been trending downward in North Carolina and nationwide for decades, driven primarily by shifting demographics. While the participation rate for younger workers in North Carolina has increased in recent years, the overall statewide labor force participation rate is likely to continue declining because our population is getting older, and older people are more likely to be retired.

This article examines industry differences in artificial intelligence (AI) adoption rates, specific applications, and expectations for employment changes across the nation. By understanding these trends, we aim to extrapolate insights relevant to North Carolina.

In January, we published an article examining the employment outcomes of older jobseekers. In this article, we use data from the North Carolina Common Follow-up System (CFS) to learn more about the conditions older workers experience after they lose their job, including their wage earnings and their sector of employment following layoff.

Explore the potential impact of artificial intelligence on North Carolina's business practices through our analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. This blog examines AI adoption rates, applications, and employment trends, offering insights into AI's potential effects on industry and workforce needs.

Our last edition of NC Economy Watch covered recent developments on the supply side of the economy. In this edition, we examine the recent softening in consumer spending and job availability. These trends have helped bring the supply- and demand-sides of the economy into a healthier balance, contributing to slower price inflation and helping keep the economy out of a recession.

Did the surge in new business applications lead to a subsequent surge in new employer businesses? Based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Business Employment Dynamics (BED) and U.S. Census Bureau Business Dynamics Statistics (BDS) programs, we find that employer entry did rise in North Carolina over the past few years, with firm births rising across multiple sectors. However, these recent trends must be viewed in the context of a multi-decade decline in business dynamism.

Last November, we used data from the North Carolina Reentry Outcome Reporting System (NC-RORS) to highlight the employment outcomes of individuals exiting prison. This month, in recognition of Second Chance Month, we dive back into the data to reveal how post-prison job quality has changed in recent decades.

Recent years have seen a national uptick in vocational program enrollment, with a 16% increase last year in vocational-focused community colleges. This national trend is mirrored in North Carolina's Community Colleges, where enrollment highlights growing interest in Construction Technologies and Industrial Technologies programs.