Source: Editorial Board
2022 marked another year of progress for North Carolina under Gov. Roy Cooper’s leadership. The state has announced a record number of new jobs, increased access to higher education, and made investments in critical infrastructure such as broadband access.
North Carolina was named the top state for business in 2022 by CNBC. The state has announced 28,300 new jobs across the state this year. Cooper’s office highlighted the following announcements:
- VinFast, a Vietnamese auto manufacturer building a new line of electric vehicles, is creating 7,500 jobs in Chatham County
- Macy’s is creating 2,800 jobs in Rowan County
- Wolfspeed, a leading manufacturer of Silicon Carbide semiconductors, is creating over 1,800 jobs in Chatham County
- Boom Supersonic, the high-profile aviation company building modern supersonic airliners for commercial service, is creating over 1,750 jobs in Guilford County
Cooper’s office has also focused on increasing access to higher education to continue to strengthen the state’s workforce. Cooper launched the Longleaf Commitment, a community college grant program to provide financial assistance to high school graduates to cover tuition and fees at any of North Carolina’s 58 community colleges. According to the governor’s office, grants have been awarded to over 25,700 students, totaling more than $15.9 million.
Under Cooper, the state has also made significant investments in broadband, bringing high-speed internet access to more people across the state. In 2022, North Carolina awarded over $270 million in grants to service providers that will connect almost 110,000 households and more than 3,600 businesses to high-speed internet.
Cooper said, “This year, we’ve made once-in-a-generation investments to help our families and communities grow and thrive. Our progress has made sure our state continues to be the best place for people to live, learn, work and raise a family. I’ve never been more excited about North Carolina’s future.”
