The Lead Feed

Workers with degrees in science and engineering are on the fast track to employment in the high-paying STEM jobs of the 21^st century.  This article shows how science and engineering grads are faring in North Carolina’s labor market and provides information to help economic developers harness the underutilized STEM talent existing in certain areas of our state.

A new and improved NC Today is now available and looks very different from previous versions. We hope you find the upgrades, which are listed below, to be useful.

Over half of North Carolina’s workforce has a more advanced educational credential than is required for entry into their field of work.  This article describes who these workers are, where they are employed, and what “underemployment” can tell us about our state’s labor market.

Recently, McKinsey and Company produced a short report regarding automation that was written up in the NY Times.

Veterans and military personnel have a tremendous impact on North Carolina. In an earlier LEAD Feed post, we highlighted how military spending supports 578,000 North Carolina jobs and nearly $34 billion in state personal income.

Focus groups are a key tool for understanding business and industry needs in your region. In this article, we define the characteristics of focus groups and outline five tips for conducting them effectively. 

The State Fair has consistently attracted 10% of the state's population over the past 25 years even as the state's population has boomed.

IBM’s 2014 Global Location Trends report tracks the latest trends in corporate location decisions for new and expansion projects around the world.

Although it has faced rapid change and stiff global competition, The Old North State remains a national leader in furniture manufacturing.

The North Carolina Career Clusters Guide provides a new tool for the state's youth and adults to use to connect their interests and skills with occupations and with the training needed to enter those occupations.

Recently, the U.S. Census Bureau released updates in commuting data from two different sources: Household Survey (American Community Survey or ACS) and Data from Employers (LEHD Origin-Destination Employment Statistics or LODES). Since the data show numbers that some may feel tell conflicting stories, we briefly show differences between the two data sets and make suggestions for their use in comparable situations.

The U.S. Census Bureau’s OnTheMap tool has published its 2013 figures for commuting patterns. Here’s a look at what’s been happening with county commuting trends in North Carolina since 2003.

New report estimates the impact of the military on the North Carolina economy and details the state's large and important military presence, including its impacts on the private sector.

Significant increases in broadband availability have been achieved in recent decades; however, some groups have benefited more from these increases than others. The present article explores the digital divide in North Carolina. 

North Carolina’s unemployment rate has increased from a low of 5.3% in February to 5.8% in June.  What does this tell us about the state’s labor market?  This article explores several possible explanations and refutes some common myths about this emerging economic trend.