Jobs for the Taking: NCWorks Program Helps Place Workers in Good Jobs

One question often asked of economic developers is whether the good jobs we announce are actually going to local residents or are filled by people from outside the area. It's a fair question, especially in a county with a small population and a limited resident pool of employees. The "skills gap" can be a major factor in determining how many of those well-paying jobs are filled by locals. This gap exists when the skills readily available in the workforce do not align with the skills needed to fill open jobs. Examples of skills in high demand in Anson County right now are; CNC Operator, Carpenter, Electrician, Welder and Forklift Operator. All of these positions require either a certification or advanced training, and while there are unskilled labor jobs available,  they tend to pay far less.

Recently, we announced that Columbus McKinnon was expanding their Wadesboro operations and would be hiring 19 new employees. Most of these new positions will pay $20+ per hour, but require advanced skills. NCWorks Business Services Consultant, Gus Vanegas, met with Columbus McKinnon shortly after their announcement and placed a candidate with them under the On-the-Job-Training (OJT) program. Under this program, NCWorks offsets some of the payroll costs while the new employee learns the specifics of their position.

It’s rewarding to see a jobs announcement result in a positive outcome like this. I’m sure there are more opportunities out there for this program and we simply need to find them. If you believe your company may be a candidate for taking on an OJT employee, please contact Megan Sellers at Megan@AnsonEDP.com and she will be happy to provide details.