Archive for the ‘ Workforce ’ Category

First Ever Certified WorkReady Community in NC

This morning the North Carolina’s Eastern Region recognized Wayne County as North Carolina’s first ever Certified WorkReady Community. This announcement is a feather in the cap of a community that has worked hard to provide a qualified workforce to the industries that relocate and expand here in Wayne County. Many organizations need recognition for this amazing accomplishment: Wayne Community College, The County of Wayne, Wayne County Public Schools, the Wayne County Development Alliance, Inc., and our industries. Without all of the aforementioned, it would have been impossible to reach this milestone.

One may ask, “what does this really mean?” and we would collectively reply, “It means that Wayne County has the workforce to support our existing industry as well as industries that relocate to our great county!” A lot of communities make this claim – trust us we hear it ALL THE TIME but Wayne County has certifiable proof that we have the workforce that industries need. Joanna Helms, President of the Wayne County Development Alliance has this to say,

The retention and recruitment of industry is extremely competitive, even more so today than in decades past. The communities that set themselves apart in the areas most important to the decision making process will win the day. Workforce is a huge deal in economic development and Wayne County gets that. To be formally recognized as a ‘Work Ready Community’ and the first in the state is going to keep Wayne County on the leading edge. It’s a recognition that we believe will result in more jobs and more investment for Wayne County.

This past October Wayne County surpassed 10,000 Career Readiness Certificates awarded. This number is by far more than any other county in the state. With the rising interest in workforce by industries, site selectors, legislators, and the like, Wayne County has positioned itself to rise to the top. We take workforce development very seriously and our numbers prove that.

Local leaders share the excitement of become a Certified WorkReady Community

Local leaders share the excitement of become a Certified WorkReady Community

2013
02/20
CATEGORY
About Wayne County
Business & Industry
Workforce
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Career Readiness is HUGE in Wayne County

Career Readiness is HUGE in Wayne County

Every quarter the Wayne County Development Alliance generates a report on the amount of Career Readiness Certificates awarded in the Eastern Region. Additionally, the WCDA looks at the total number of CRCs awarded in the state. Below are some striking facts:

  • Wayne County has the highest numbers of CRCs awarded in the state at 10,690
  • Almost 20% of Wayne County’s workforce is Career Readiness Certified
  • 29% of the CRCs awarded in the Eastern Region are in Wayne County
  • 7% of the CRCs awarded in the state are in Wayne County

While all of this is certainly impressive, the most impressive fact is that Wayne County looks like it will be the first ever WorkReady Certified community in the entire state of North Carolina. With workforce being the #1 driver of site selection for industries, Wayne County is poised to be a MAJOR player in recruitment of new industries and expansion of existing industries in the coming years. This has come about because of the hard work and dedication of our partners in workforce development. Thank you to all of them and to Wayne County resident for seeing the value in Career Readiness Certification. It’s WHY WAYNE WORKS!

2013
01/09
CATEGORY
Business & Industry
Workforce
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2012 Industry of the Year

Cooper Standard Thursday night was recognized as Wayne County Industry of the Year, not only because of its business operation, local economic development officials said, but because it is a “total community supporter,” as well.

“They are not just one to do their operations and close down at 5 o’clock,” said Mike Haney, Wayne County Development Alliance vice president/existing industry specialist.
The company supports the community in a number of ways, Haney said during a reception at the Goldsboro Country Club, which wrapped up the annual three-day Wayne County Industry Celebration sponsored by the Development Alliance.

“They are members of the Chamber,” he said. “They support United Way and a lot of other charities. Their employees are involved in a lot of civic organizations. ”They are pretty much a total package. They do these things, not for recognition, but because of who they are.” That is readily seen in the company’s outstanding overall contributions to the community and to its employees, he said.

The company also is a strong supporter of Wayne Community College and the public schools, he said. ”They open doors for tours,” Haney said. “A lot of these students who are not going to be college bound, they can find a career at Cooper Standard and other industries like that. They have great pay, great benefits and they are growing. They are a great company and we are glad they call Wayne County home.”

The company last fall announced a $17.9 million expansion project at its Woodland Church Road facility. The expansion would add 137 new jobs. General Motors will invest another $21.7 million which will allow Cooper Standard to make parts for the Chevy Cruze, BMW X15 and a Dodge sedan.

The company is a leading global automotive supplier of products for the body sealing, fuel, brake and emissions, thermal management and anti-vibration segments of the automotive industry. It opened its Goldsboro plant in 1984.

“This has been a very fortunate year for us,” plant manager Patrick Clark said. “We have made a tremendous investment. We have been very fortunate to hire a lot of people from Wayne County. The help of the Development Alliance has been tremendous. We are very lucky, the automotive industry has come back very strong. We have identified the Goldsboro facility as an opportunity for us to continue to provide growth for Cooper Standard.

“We look forward to an optimistic 2013. We think as a whole things are starting to settle down and turn around and head in a positive direction. We now compete globally here out of the Goldsboro facility. That has in turn allowed us to add additional headcount into our facility. We look to have continuing opportunities going forward.”

Prior to presenting the award, Haney said that it has been another challenging year for local industries. “But we continue to see some positive signs,” he said. “Many of our industries have more employees than they did at the first of the year. Some companies have invested in state-of-the-art equipment to make manufacturing processes more productive.

“Many employees are working more hours than they were at the first of the year. Some of the industries have increased the number of shifts that they are running. This reflects that additional orders are being placed with our companies. So we are optimistic that in 2013 things will continue on the road to recovery. In times of uncertainty who do we depend on? We count on our existing industry.”

They play a significant role, employ county residents, contribute to local charities, provide leadership and pay taxes, he said.

Congratulations Cooper Standard 2012 Wayne County Industry of the Year!

2012
10/29
CATEGORY
Business & Industry
Workforce
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Truths and Myths in Economic Development

As a follow up to my last post, “Our Time Is Now!” I wanted to address some common misconceptions surrounding economic development. To do this, I sat down with the Development Alliance’s president, Joanna Helms and picked her brain about her 19+ years of experience in economic development. Needless to say Joanna is a wealth of knowledge; she shared with me the most common misconceptions in economic development and cleared the air about these mis-aligned expectations.

PRODUCT – BUILDINGS AND SITES

Any open field can be considered an industrial site. (Myth)

  • We cannot and will not show an industrial prospect a site unless it is “shovel ready” and we have control of the site either through ownership or with an option to purchase. 
  • The reason for this is that clients demand this and the competition for projects is too tight.  They have no time to wait for a site to be prepared or to find out if it could be for sale. 
  • True industrial sites must have all tests, development costs, plans, certifications, etc. known in advance of the client visit.

 INCENTIVES

The County of Wayne, the City of Goldsboro, or the WCDA are the main resources for a grant or incentive. (Myth)

  • The County, City or WCDA typically are not the generators of a grant…it is the state of NC as set by the legislature.
  • The appropriate local unit of government comes into play when and if there is a match required by the grant structure.
  • The WCDA does not have grants, we are not a loan authority and we do not have a pool of money to dole out – even to the most deserving business.

 Most incentives are paid well after a company begins or expands operations. (Truth)

  • Performance agreements are required between the state and the company or between the local unit of government and the company that spells out what both sides will do. 
  • If the company does not “perform” as agreed, the funds are either not dispersed or are paid back by the company.
  • There is no “up front” money.

 Any company that has decided to locate or expand in a NC community can be eligible for state grants or state incentives. (Myth)

  • If they have already decided to relocate, there is no need to incent.
  • Eligibility for grants and incentives is in part based on the project location being competitive with another state. 
  • For example, if a company is in Edgecombe County and it decides to move its operations to Wayne County, they do not qualify for state incentives. That is called “rearranging vacancies.”

 OTHER

Quality of life is a top consideration when a company chooses a location. (Myth)

  • Studies have shown that quality of life is rarely ever at the top of a critical factors list. 
  • Top considerations are labor/workforce, incentives, transportation, cost of doing business (e.g. taxes), an available site or building, and utilities. 
  • Choosing a location to place an industry is a business decision, not a feel good decision. It is an important community factor…but it’s not really what executives around the industrial world are thinking about when they are making a business location decision. 
  • Keep in mind: one or two top level management may move to the location but the majority of the workforce is hired locally. 
  • This does not apply to retail, small businesses, mom and pop operations, the hospital, etc.  They weigh Quality of Life on a whole other level.
  • FUN FACT: Wayne County has never lost a prospect due to QOL. 

 Our focus at the WCDA is industry…the size of the company does not matter. (Truth)

  • We have “industries” that are as small as a 2 person operation, such as a machine shop, and ones that have 500 employees or more. 
  • It’s what they “do” that distinguishes them as a prospect or an existing industry.
  • The WCDA indentifies industry as manufacturing/wholesale/distribution/machine shops/back office type operations.
  • We do not actively recruit retail, restaurants, hotels, entertainment, etc.  That is commercial development and in part it’s because we cannot really assist them. 
  • Our available industrial buildings and sites are not suited for them, we do not write business or marketing plans, we do not have a pool of money to give away to get them started, and there are no state grants for commercial development thus there are no local matches either.

 SUMMARY

 It’s best to think about the basics of what the Development Alliance does in Wayne County. The Wayne County Development Alliance recruits industry, we retain industry by helping them grow and prosper, and we develop industrial sites and industrial buildings for those new or existing industrial clients.

  • We work with industry – small, medium and large.
  •  We do have a narrow focus and that is intentional. 
  •  We collect and give out demographic and community information.
  •  We give referrals to other agencies or entities such as local commercial developers or real estate brokers, the Small Business Center at Wayne Community College; the Neuse River Development Authority; or the Small Business & Technology Development Center. 

We cannot be all things to all people nor do we try, but we do try to explain our focus so that the expectations of the WCDA will be more properly directed and understood. We appreciate everyone’s part, including yours, in helping us to clarify our role in the community. Please visit our website www.waynealliance.org to learn more about the WCDA.

 

2012
07/18
CATEGORY
'Personnel' Touch
Buildings & Sites
Business & Industry
Workforce
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Our Time is Now!

Two weeks ago I had the great pleasure of attending my first ever North Carolina Economic Developers Association Annual Conference.  This year’s theme was “Product Development = Competitive Asset” There were many fascinating presentations – one of which was from our very own president, Joanna Helms. It was a great experience to say the least. Not only did I get to hear from some compelling and knowledgeable speakers, I met a lot of great people and heard some great stories about the many adventures or should I say misadventures in economic development.

There was one presenter that really struck a chord with me – Mr. Billy Ray Hall of the N.C. Rural Center. Mr. Hall’s topic was about the resources that are available to support product development. While the content proved to be very valuable, it was a tangent that Mr. Hall soap-boxed that left an indelible impression on me. Mr. Hall stated,

“The time for economic developers is NOW.”

When he first made this statement it grabbed my attention but it was what he said afterwards that struck me. He went on to say that economic development is at the forefront of the minds of the general public for the first time ever. It has become a conversation that instead of spoken in board rooms and offices by developers and legislators are now being discussed in open forums, on the nightly news, on the street – by the general public. Granted, the conversations are geared around jobs, unemployment and the economy BUT as Mr. Hill put it, “economic developers will be the ones leading the way towards recovery.”

It’s been about two weeks since hearing that and it still resonates in me. More than that is the feeling that I am part of a team that is poised and ready; in fact we’re more than ready – we’re proactive! We have a 5 year strategic plan in place for job creation, we have experienced leadership, we have support from our board, and we have workforce and products in place.

This IS our time!

 

It’s Why Wayne Works!

www.waynealliance.org

2012
07/10
CATEGORY
'Personnel' Touch
About Wayne County
Business & Industry
Workforce
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EnvisionEAST 2050

Unprecedented growth is coming to eastern North Carolina as one million new residents will call our region home by 2050!  If we don’t plan for this growth, we’re likely to see strained infrastructure, fiscal instability, impacts on the environment, loss of military bases and agricultural lands, and significant changes to our quality of life. 

EnvisionEAST-2050 is a one-day visioning exercise that engages 300 diverse stakeholders from across our region to tackle how best to accommodate this explosive growth. 

Participants will work in diverse groups to discuss regional population and job growth, and make suggestions about where housing and jobs should locate across our region over the next 35 years.  To ensure that a broad, inclusive group is chosen to participate in this visioning exercise, EnvisionEAST-2050 is calling for nominations and applications of interested parties from across our region.  Admission is free but limited to 300 participants.  For applications to participate, sponsorship forms or more information, please visit www.planiteast.org/envisioneast-2050.

2012
05/16
CATEGORY
About Wayne County
Business & Industry
Workforce
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The Importance of a Robust STEM Program in the East

ImageExecutive Director of the STEM East Initiative, Steve Hill Speaks to Wayne County Industry Leaders about the Importance of a Robust STEM Program in the East

Goldsboro, NC – The Wayne County Development Alliance, Inc., had the distinct pleasure of hosting Mr. Steve Hill, Executive Director of the STEM East Initiative for its semi-annual Industry Leader’s Luncheon. The event was held on April 19 at the Goldsboro Country Club. In attendance were many local industry and civic leaders all of which agreed with the points that Mr. Hill made.

 

In his presentation, Mr. Hill discussed the importance of developing and implementing a robust Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) program in Eastern NC. He explained that, at least 42% of the new jobs being created in NC would require at minimum some post-secondary education, many in the STEM disciplines. Not only would a viable STEM program benefit students in that it would offer them more opportunities for employment and earning potential over their lifetime, it would also fill skill gaps that are being identified by industries across the east. During his presentation, Mr. Hill lauded the efforts made in Wayne County around its WORKS initiative and CRC program, stating that,

“Wayne County has some of the best practices around workforce development”.

Mr. Hill’s emphasis on the importance of the role of educators in workforce development was exemplified by his statement that, “teachers literally control the future of this economy”. To further this point Mr. Hill explained that industry leaders need to be involved in what is going on in the school systems to ensure that future workforce is equipped with the skills necessary to meet the needs and demands of industries in the years and decades to come.

The Wayne County Development Alliance would like to thank Mr. Steve Hill as well as those in attendance. Mike Haney, VP/Existing Industry Specialist with the Wayne County Development Alliance stated, “It is encouraging to see this kind of support and interest from our industry leaders. The future of our economy and success of our industries lie in the hands of the youth. Mr. Hill has laid not only the groundwork but a clear path to achieve that success.”

2012
04/23
CATEGORY
About Wayne County
Business & Industry
Workforce
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Here we grow again!

I know, I know such a cliche headline BUT we are beside ourselves excited to announce that Joseph T. Ryerson & Sons Inc. are expanding their operations in Wayne County, NC! The expansion will lead to the creation of 44 new jobs at an average salary of $33,540 which is above the county’s average salary. Additionally, Ryerson will be making $3 million dollar investment in Wayne County to support its growth. The staff at the Wayne County Development Alliance, Inc. had a very active role in helping Ryerson see this expansion come to fruition. Not only was the involvement of our staff a tipping point in choosing Wayne County, but Ryerson’s Vice-President and General Manager, Brad Ford exclaimed that,

Wayne County is an ideal location with its proximity to steel supliers, highways, and a solid labor pool.

This expansion positions Ryerson to grow its plate and fabrication business in the Southeast. This is the icing on the cake for us at the WCDA. We love to see growth in our area and as the industries grow in our footprint more opportunities present themselves and we are here ready to jump on the next opportunity. Please join us in congratulating Joseph T. Ryerson & Sons Inc. on their success and subsequent expansion. We are proud that you call Wayne County home.

2012
04/17
CATEGORY
About Wayne County
Business & Industry
Workforce
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Safety First…and we have 2 million hours to prove it!

Last week I had the privilege of attending the 2012 Safety Awards Luncheon in Wayne County sponsored by the NC Department of Labor and hosted by the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce. The importance of safety in the workplace and at home is something the Wayne County Development Alliance takes very seriously. In fact, each day one staff member at the Development Alliance shares a safety tip of the day to keep the concept of safety front and center of what we do each and every day – not just here at the office but also at home. This is really something we all take to heart and is evident by the recognition of the Wayne County Development Alliance for its sixth consecutive year as a Gold Award recipient. A Gold Award indicates that the rate of days away from work, job transfer or restriction is at least 50% below the industry average. A Silver Award indicates the rate of days away from work is at least 50% below the industry average.  Below are other industries located in Wayne County that received recognition for their safety merits.

SILVER AWARD

1st Year

Nordic Cold Storage LLC

R N Rouse & Company

SPX Transformer Solutions, Inc.

2nd Year

T A Loving Company (Equipment Division)

3rd Year

Pate Dawson Company

GOLD AWARDS

1st Year

Balfour Beatty Rail, Inc. (Traction Power Group)

Coscill/Excell/Glenoit (Division #3 & Division #4)

Metalcrafters of Goldsboro, Inc.

Seegars Fence Company (Production/Distribution)

2nd Year

AAR Corporation, Cargo Systems

3rd Year

Coscill/Excell/Glenoit (Headquarters)

4th Year

Adams Product Company

Pearson Pump Sales & Service, Inc.

5th Year

Anchor Coupling, Inc.

6th Year

Cooper Busmann

Wayne County Development Alliance, Inc.

7th Year

Piedmont Natural Gas (Four Oakes LNG Plant)

8th Year

Georgia-Pacific Corporation (Dudley Plywood Plant)

9th Year

Georgia-Pacific Corporation (Dudley Chip-N-Saw)

Stephenson General Contractors

Congratulations to all of our industries!

I would be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to recognize one of our industries for a milestone achievement. Please join me in congratulating;

 

Waukesha Electric Systems for achieving 2 Million Hours with no lost time accidents!! This is a HUGE feat and we stand back in awe of Waukesha and its commitment to safety. Congratulations again and thank you all for making Wayne County a safe place to work, its Why Wayne Works.

2012
04/16
CATEGORY
About Wayne County
Business & Industry
Workforce
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Top 10 Employers in Wayne County

When I accepted the position with the Wayne County Development Alliance, I admittedly was naive about the industry presence in Wayne County. As I learned about the industries in Wayne County, I became more and more impressed with the strength of the industries in this area. Wayne County is home to some of the leading industries in their respective sectors. We should take pride in all of the industries that call Wayne County home. The diversity of industry within Wayne County has been instrumental in the stability of our economy.  There are over 75 companies that call Wayne County home, including several international firms and privately held companies, some of which consistently rank among North Carolina’s top 100. 

You may be amazed to learn that many of the products in our homes, in our vehicles, on convenience store shelves and anywhere in between are either manufactured in or distributed from right here in Wayne County. Just take a look at the list below – we have food processing, automotive parts, and even electric transformers.

Top 10 Manufacturing Employers*

  1. Case Farms Inc. - 983
  2. Goldsboro Milling Co. - 800
  3. AAR – 656
  4. Mount Olive Pickle Company, Inc. - 646
  5. Cooper Standard Automotive, Inc. – 581
  6. Georgia Pacific (Plywood) – 511
  7. Franklin Baking Company – 454
  8. AP Exhaust Products, Inc. - 365
  9. Uchiyama America, Inc. – 290
  10. Waukesha Electric Systems, Inc. – 273

* As of January 1, 2012

To all of the industries that operate in Wayne County, we thank you. Your presence does not go unnoticed and we are proud that you all call Wayne County home.

                                                                                ~ The Wayne County Development Alliance

2012
04/05
CATEGORY
About Wayne County
Business & Industry
Workforce
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