Although Martin County’s labor force is just under 10,000 people, the labor force within commuting distance is over 175,000 people.  In Martin County, approximately 13.3% of that workforce is employed in manufacturing, compared to 11.1% in all of NC.  The County’s agricultural sector is also significant, compared to the State.   Good workers are currently available for new companies, reflected in a higher unemployment rate than the NC or US average.

In addition to the existing labor force, East Carolina University is in adjacent Pitt County with over 29,000 students.  Martin Community College, and other nearby local community colleges, provide free customized training for employees of new and expanding industry.  NC Works is the state organization that coordinates the free recruiting and training assistance.  As a result of these significant resources, the available labor force is skilled and productive.

Workforce

 

Martin County Employment Statistics By Year

Year	Labor Force	Employed	Unemployed	Unemployment Rate %	NC Unemployment Rate %	US Unemployment Rate %
2010	10,480	9,145	1,335	12.7	10.9	9.1
2011	10,638	9,316	1,322	12.4	10.3	8.3
2012	10,430	9,182	1,248	12.0	9.3	8.0
2013	10,080	9,030	1,050	10.4	7.9	6.6
2014	9,867	9,099	768	7.8	6.3	5.7
2015	9,731	8,981	750	7.7	5.7	4.9

Martin County Employment Statistics 2016

Month (2016)	Labor Force	Employed	Unemployed	Unemployment Rate %	NC Unemployment Rate %	US Unemployment Rate %
January	9,483	8,729	754	8.0	5.7	4.9
February	9,636	8,890	746	7.7	5.7	4.9
March	9,854	9,151	703	7.1	5.4	5.0
April	9,677	9,030	647	6.7	5.0	5.0
May	9,583	8,989	594	6.2	4.7	4.7
June	9,390	8,730	660	7.0	5.1	4.9
July	9,392	8,733	659	7.0	4.9	4.9
August	9,438	8,797	641	6.8	5.0	4.9
September	9,680	9,084	596	6.2	4.8	5.0
October	9,753	9,090	663	6.8	4.8	4.9
November	9,788	9,140	648	6.6	4.8	4.6

In addition to the labor force in Martin County, the six adjacent counties of Beaufort, Bertie, Edgecombe, Halifax, Pitt, and Washington provide an additional source of skilled labor for local companies.

Employment Statistics for 2015 – Adjacent Counties

County	Labor Force	Employment	Unemployment	Unemployment Rate %
Beaufort	20,144	18,809	1,335	6.6
Bertie	8,630	8,003	627	7.3
Edgecombe	23,078	20,859	2,219	9.6
Halifax	20,875	19,022	1,853	8.9
Pitt	87,628	82,289	5,339	6.1
Washington	4,986	4,546	440	8.8

Employment Statistics for November 2016 – Adjacent Counties

County	Labor Force	Employment	Unemployment	Unemployment Rate %
Beaufort	20,406	19,277	1,129	5.5
Bertie	8,587	8,076	511	6.0
Edgecombe	23,279	21,468	1,811	7.8
Halifax	20,947	19,361	1,586	7.6
Pitt	87,953	83,425	4,528	5.1
Washington	4,947	4,577	370	7.5

Workforce by Industry Sector – 2015

Industry Sector	Martin County Employment	% of Total Martin County Employment		NC Employment	% of Total NC Employment
11 - Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Hunting	294	4.2		29,208	0.7
21 - Mining				2,776	0.06
22 - Utilities	*	*		15,323	0.4
23 - Construction	226	3.3		189,169	4.5
31 - Manufacturing	925	13.3		461,008	11.1
42 - Wholesale Trade	165	2.4		178,875	4.3
44 - Retail Trade	1,122	16.2		490,823	11.8
48 - Transportation & Warehousing	97	1.4		138,806	3.3
51 - Information	47	0.6		77,023	1.8
52 - Finance & Insurance	258	3.7		158,770	3.8
53 - Real Estate & Rental & Leasing	31	0.4		54,768	1.3
54 - Professional Scientific & Technical Services	114	1.6		221,796	5.3
55 - Management of Companies & Enterprises	*	*		81,916	2.0
56 - Administrative & Support & Waste Management & Remediation Services	134	1.9		290,806	7.0
61 - Educational Services	*	*		370,930	8.9
62 - Health Care & Social Assistance	1,087	15.7		590,275	14.2
71 - Arts, Entertainment & Recreation	31	0.4		67,568	1.6
72 - Accommodations & Food Services	786	11.3		396,622	9.5
81 - Other Services	67	1.0		106,307	2.6
92 - Public Administration	653	9.4		239,235	5.7
99 - Unclassified				534	0.01
TOTAL	6,935	100.0		4,162,136	100.0

Note:  Totals may not equal 100 due to rounding and suppressed data (indicated by *)

Training

 

Martin Community College

Martin Community College offers a variety of different curriculum programs leading to a degree, diploma, or certificate.  Specific programs include Biotechnology; Air Conditioning, Heating, & Refrigeration Technology; Computer Information Technology; Electrical/Electronics Technology; and Industrial Systems Technology.

In addition to curriculum and continuing education programs, customized industrial training is available to industries.  The NCWorks Customized Training Program provides education, training and support services for new, expanding and existing business and industry in North Carolina through a network of 58 community colleges, serving all 100 counties of the state. The goal is to foster and support three key aspects of a company’s well-being:

• Job Growth,
• Technology Investment, and
• Productivity Enhancement

All solutions are the result of collaboration with the management team and customizing the training to meet specific objectives adding to business success.  For more information on customized training, visit http://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/ncworks-customized-training

 

East Carolina University

East Carolina University, with nearly 29,000 students and 5,500 faculty and staff, is a thirty minute drive from Martin County in nearby Greenville, NC.  The University offers 88 bachelors, 72 masters, 2 intermediate, 5 professional doctoral, and 12 research/scholarship doctoral degrees in addition to 79 departmental certificates.  ECU has 12 colleges and schools including the College of Engineering and Technology, the Brody School of Medicine, the School of Dental Medicine, and the College of Business.

Through its Division of Research, Economic Development, and Engagement, ECU works to assist technology transfer and promotes economic development and community engagement in eastern North Carolina.  Their offices work with  faculty, students and external partners to deliver innovative, value-adding programs and services to fuel community enhancement and regional leadership; innovation, entrepreneurship and small business; and cluster-based economic development.

For more information on ECU and its programs, visit www.ecu.edu