News

A Showcase of Workforce Progress and Business SuccessResults of Caldwell County’s 2025 Wage & Benefit Survey are now available! Thank you to the 27 organizations that participated in this year’s survey! Your engagement makes this project possible. By sharing real-world data, you’re helping build a stronger, more informed business community...Continue Reading

When people visit Caldwell County, NC, or when residents pause to reflect, a common realization occurs: This place has it all!Few areas in the United States offer such a unique combination of natural beauty, welcoming communities, and an affordable cost of living.Caldwell County’s economy is impactful regionally and internationally, featuring over...Continue Reading

Wednesdays are the day for education and industry collaboration in Caldwell County, NC, with the continuation of Workforce Wednesdays!The dynamic partnership between Caldwell County Economic Development (CCED), Caldwell County Schools, and Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute (CCC&TI) continued in 2025 as a way to  bring real-world career exposure directly...Continue Reading

It’s one of the most pressing challenges facing communities across the United States: infrastructure readiness. What’s really at stake in the world of pipelines, utilities and energy grids – and how is it impacting site selection?At the Site Selectors Guild 2025 Annual Conference, leading site selectors came together for the...Continue Reading

Caldwell County Economic Development and Caldwell County Schools recently received the 2025 Partnership Award by the North Carolina Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education Center (SMT). This prestigious award recognizes outstanding collaborations that connect education with workforce and economic development across North Carolina. To read the full article, click the following...Continue Reading

Culture vs. BrandCulture refers to the shared values, beliefs, behaviors, practices, traditions, and norms that define a group of people or an organization. It encompasses how people interact, make decisions, and approach work or life. In an organizational context, culture is often described as the "way we do things around...Continue Reading

In every town across America, there's a corner store, a family-run diner, or a small tech startup tucked into a co-working space established by someone determined to pursue their passion, no matter how little support they had to start with.Take the story of a mother and daughter duo who started...Continue Reading

Economic development is always centered on business growth and innovation. In Caldwell County, NC, however, it’s about building a better future for the community. Supporting entrepreneurs, expanding local industries, and attracting new opportunities all focus on ensuring a prosperous future for residents and businesses. Every new job, every new storefront,...Continue Reading

Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) increased in 99 counties in January 2025 and remained unchanged in one. Hyde County had the highest unemployment rate at 8.3 percent while Camden County had the lowest at 3.0 percent. All fifteen of the state’s metro areas experienced rate increases. Among the metro areas,...Continue Reading

Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute held an event to encourage young women to consider careers in utility and infrastructure industries.The first-ever Girl Power Event involved a hands-on learning experience for women and offered insight into overhead and underground power distribution, fiber operations, substation processes, and drone operations, said Amy...Continue Reading

I spent 30 years at Lockheed Martin, 20 of which were in site selection, workforce development, and real estate disciplines, followed by the last 11 years consulting in the tech sector. Site selection has come a long way in the last four decades, driven by increased investment requirements, heightened investor...Continue Reading

Data centers faced their toughest power challenges yet in 2024, but the industry didn’t just survive – it thrived, according to JLL’s new North America Data Center Year-End 2024 Report. The sector is charging full speed ahead, with colocation vacancy plummeting to a record low of 2.6% and absorption levels...Continue Reading

The Workforce Crisis in Rural AmericaWorkforce shortages are one of the biggest obstacles rural communities face today. Businesses are struggling to fill open positions, young professionals are leaving for bigger cities, and many rural regions simply aren’t on the radar for job seekers. The issue isn’t always about the availability...Continue Reading

The Detroit factory where Henry Ford first began mass-producing automobiles had a transformative impact not just on the auto industry but on manufacturing and business practices across all industries. However, that factory was singular in purpose—assembling a Model T as quickly and uniformly as possible.Today, while optimal efficiency in production...Continue Reading

Western Piedmont Council of Governments (WPCOG), in collaboration with Caldwell County, has been chosen to participate in the Our State, Our Homes program through the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Carolina Across 100 initiative! This program will provide valuable insights and resources, which will be shared to benefit...Continue Reading

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) opened a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Caldwell County on Saturday, Oct. 12. The center will serve as a point of contact for individuals seeking to apply for FEMA disaster recovery aid, according to the organization’s media relations specialist Shirley Tracey. To read the...Continue Reading

Exciting news for Caldwell County! Google may invest $600 million to expand its data center, potentially adding 30 jobs. Local officials recently approved an incentives deal, and while the project isn’t confirmed yet, it looks promising.The expansion could further solidify our area as a major data center hub, alongside tech...Continue Reading

Economic developers have a strong incentive to attract and retain millennial talent in their areas. Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, now make up the largest portion of the workforce. As digital natives, millennials are highly skilled in leveraging technology and adapting to new innovations. Getting this tech-savvy generation on...Continue Reading