The Lead Feed

Recently, the Labor and Economic Analysis Division (LEAD) of NC Commerce released the latest Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) data.  This data is from 2018 Quarter 2, and represents one of the best sources of economic data for North Carolina and its smaller regions, including Workforce Development Boards (WDBs).

North Carolina's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased 0.2 of a percentage point to 3.6 percent from September’s revised rate of 3.8 percent.

High wage industries appear to be growing as of late, but what do the past and current trends show?

The share of former offenders finding work in North Carolina within a year after release from state prison declined from 62% in 1998 to 39% in 2014. This article explores some of the factors that may be responsible for this trend, including changes in the labor market that have made it harder to find a job—particularly for blue-collar workers, and especially for former offenders.

North Carolina is projected to add over 389,000 new jobs by 2026. The following summary analyzes information on employment growth and projections at the state level and provides key findings by major industry and occupational groups.

This post will describe recent changes to North Carolina Long Term Employment projections.

North Carolina releases a list of Top 300 Private Employers, compiled annually, based off the first quarter employment size as reported by the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wage (QCEW) program. The list breaks out employment by Manufacturing and Nonmanufacturing employment.

One important factor to consider when pursuing a career is how much competition you will face from existing jobseekers. This article demonstrates how LEAD’s North Carolina Labor Supply/Demand data can be used to inform career decisions.

Do ex-offenders find gainful employment after they are released from state prison in North Carolina? And how does this compare to their status prior to incarceration? This article uses data from the North Carolina Common Follow-up System (CFS) to describe the workforce experience of offenders before and after incarceration.

North Carolina has a tight labor market, which is creating opportunities for jobseekers but challenging employers who are looking to hire. This article uses LEAD’s North Carolina Labor Supply/Demand data to show how the labor market has tightened across our state’s various regions and occupational groups.

Completing higher education is becoming increasingl

The labor market is heating up across much of the United States, with employers posting a record number of job openings and reportedly turning to 

North Carolina’s Northeast Prosperity Zone is a diverse and beautiful part of our state that attracts talent and visitors from around the world. It’s also a region where many communities face economic challenges as they look to the future.

A Wall Street Journal article noted that less educated American workers saw the largest weekly pay bumps since the recession began, but is this the case for North Carolina’s less educated workers?

After a volatile year, newly-released data revisions show that North Carolina’s unemployment and labor force participation rates are in fact on a steady path as we head into 2018.  This article explains what labor market watchers can learn from these new data and provides some helpful tips to avoid getting caught off-guard by data revisions.