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The report projects job additions through 2032, highlights focused occupations with annual openings and earnings, compares openings with community college completers by PropelNC workforce sector, and reviews recent economic development activity, including announced capital investment and foreign direct investment.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/","Research & 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\nAPRIL 2025  \nHickory Region Counties  \nBurke · Caldwell · Alexander · Catawba · McDowell  \nNC Community Colleges serving the Hickory Region  \nCaldwell CC and TI · Catawba Valley CC · McDowell TCC · Western Piedmont CC  \nNote: Projections do not account for impact of Hurricane Helene  \nCALDWELL  \nBURKE MCDOWELL  \nALEXANDER  \nCATAWBA  \nIntroducƟon  \nThis report is designed to help stakeholders understand the current and future labor market within their region. It is also a tool for North Carolina community colleges as they consider programmaƟc changes that align with the labor market and idenƟfy potenƟal opportuniƟes for programmaƟc collaboraƟon with other colleges in the region. This report specifically provides regional insights into:  \n􀁸 Recent trends associated with overall employment at the region and county levels  \n􀁸 Current regional diversity of industry sectors and occupaƟonal groups  \n􀁸 Projected regional changes across industry sectors and occupaƟonal groups  \n􀁸 Regional projecƟons for annual openings in occupaƟons requiring or preferring a community college educaƟon and their associated earnings  \n􀁸 Annual count of regional community college completers by program and their associated earnings  \n􀁸 Comparison of occupaƟonal openings and community college completers by PropelNC Workforce Sector  \n􀁸 Recent economic development acƟvity  \nRegion  \nNorth Carolina’s 100 counties are organized into eight multi-county economic regions called Prosperity Zones, which are further divided into sixteen Sub Prosperity Zones. The Hickory Region is one of two subzones of the Northwest region, encompassing the following counties: Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, and McDowell.  \n2025 Hickory Region Labor Market Analysis Report 1  \nHighlights  \nEmployment (Pages 4-5)  \n􀁸 The region grew employment by 0.7% between 2018-2023, resulƟng in 169,387 workers in 2023.  \n􀁸 3 of 5 counƟes in the region saw growth in employment across the 6-year period.  \n􀁸 The regional unemployment rate was 3.3% in 2023, below the statewide rate (3 .5%) .  \n􀁸 All counƟes showed a net decrease or stability in unemployment rates across the 6-year period. In 2023, unemployment rates ranged from 3. 2%-3 .4% .  \nExisƟng Industry Sectors and OccupaƟonal Groups (Pages 6-7)  \n􀁸 In 2022, the four largest industry sectors in the region were Manufacturing, Health Care and Social Assistance, Retail Trade, and AccommodaƟon and Food Services.  \n􀁸 In 2022, the four largest occupaƟonal groups in the region were ProducƟon, TransportaƟon and Material Moving, Office and AdministraƟve Support, and Sales and Related.  \nLabor Supply and Demand (Page 8)  \n􀁸 During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an oversupply of job seekers relaƟve to job openings. In every year since (through 2023), job openings have outpaced labor.  \n􀁸 In 2023, Architecture and Engineering OccupaƟons and Healthcare Support OccupaƟons had significantly more jobs than job seekers (raƟo: 0. 2), whereas Life, Physical, and Social Science OccupaƟons had about twice as many job seekers as available jobs (raƟo: 2.3) .  \nEmployment ProjecƟons (Pages 9-10)  \n􀁸 The region is projected to add 7,777 jobs between 2022 and 2032. The AccommodaƟon and Food Services sector will experience the largest growth (+1,792 jobs), and the Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas ExtracƟon sector will have the largest percentage growth (18 .7%) .  \n􀁸 Across the 10-year period, the Food PreparaƟon and Serving Related OccupaƟons group will experience the largest growth (+1,702 jobs), and the largest percentage growth (12 .6%) .  \n2025 Hickory Region Labor Market Analysis Report 2  \nFocused OccupaƟonal ProjecƟons and Current Earnings (Pages 11-12)  \n􀁸 Between 2022 and 2032, it is projected that Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators and Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers will be the two occupaƟons with the highest number of annual openings in the reg","cbCaiot0hUo0BplH","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiot0hUo0BplH","pdf",2305804,23,"English","# Introduction\n# Region Overview\n# Highlights\n## Employment\n## Existing Industry Sectors and Occupational Groups\n## Labor Supply and Demand\n## Employment Projections\n## Focused Occupational Projections and Current Earnings\n## Community College Completers and Earnings\n## PropelNC Workforce Sector Comparison\n## Economic Development Projects\n# Appendix","[{\"question\":\"What is the purpose of the 2025 Hickory Region labor market analysis report?\",\"answer\":\"It helps stakeholders understand current and future labor market conditions in the region and supports North Carolina community colleges in aligning program changes with labor market needs and identifying collaboration opportunities.\"},{\"question\":\"What does the report highlight about employment and unemployment?\",\"answer\":\"It reports 0.7% employment growth from 2018–2023 to 169,387 workers in 2023 and an unemployment rate of 3.3% in 2023, with county unemployment rates staying roughly stable or decreasing across the six-year period.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the report connect labor demand with community college outcomes?\",\"answer\":\"It compares projected occupational openings with annual community college completers, including earnings, and uses PropelNC Workforce Sectors to show differences between the distribution of openings and the distribution of completers by sector.\"}]","2025 Hickory Region Labor Market Analysis Report | PDF",1792057439,58]