MCEDP

[Pinehurst, NC] – Moore County Economic Development Partnership (MCEDP) and its community workforce development partners hosted the 2026 Moore County Manufacturing Day Breakfast on October 1st at Sandhills Community College to recognize the county’s manufacturing community in celebration of National Manufacturing Day.

Occurring on the first Friday of every October, National Manufacturing Day showcases modern manufacturing, highlights the industry sector’s economic contributions, recognizes those who strengthen America through the goods they make, and fosters interest in manufacturing careers.

North Carolina has the largest manufacturing economy in the Southeast and the 8th largest in the United States with almost 11,500 manufacturing businesses. In Moore County, manufacturing is the 6th largest industry sector with more than 50 manufacturing companies employing over 1,700 workers. Manufacturing jobs in Moore County pay an average annual salary greater than $62,450, well above the County’s average private-sector wage of $55,708. Significant manufacturing clusters in Moore County include Metals, Machining & Equipment; Food, Beverage & Specialty; Defense & Aerospace; and Building, Wood & Furniture, among many others.

Almost 40 Moore County manufacturers, elected officials including Senator Tom McInnis, business support organizations, and community partners participated in the breakfast meeting. Taylor McCaskill, Senior Director, Workforce Strategy and Partnership Innovation at Sandhills Community College (SCC), gave the keynote presentation, “Partnering with Local Employers to Build the Talent Pipeline through Pre-Employment Training”.

McCaskill highlighted the College’s workforce development tools and programming that include customized training, multiple apprenticeship pathways, and new programs such as SolidWorks training, Foundations of Mechanical Systems, and a two (2)-year Electro-Mechanical pathway starting in Fall 2027.

In April 2026, SCC also launched its pre-employment training program to help address needs expressed by local employers. Created in collaboration with employer partners, the pre-employment program delivers skills & subject matter expert (SME) training and talent development to students over multiple days. Students gain an understanding of job expectations, get hands-on exposure, learn foundational skills, and are guaranteed interviews with participating employers. These employers benefit from SCC’s assistance with initial recruitment, resulting job interviews with higher quality candidates, and faster conversions from candidate to new hire. The program enables SCC to better align its programming with workforce demand and employer needs, build stronger long-term partnerships with local employers., and provide expanded student pathways that include apprenticeships and customized training after hiring.

Attendees also heard an update about Moore Innovative High School from Principal Ashlee Ciccone and participated in a roundtable discussion where manufacturers shared success stories and discussed challenges. Several companies indicated they are currently expanding their operations or have expansions planned in the near future.

In addition to Sandhills Community College, MCEDP’s workforce development partners include the Moore County Chamber of Commerce, Moore County Schools, and Mid-Carolina Workforce & Talent Development. Representatives from these organizations spoke briefly about the workforce development and business support resources they offer. The Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, NC State University Industry Expansion Solutions, NC Military Business Center, and NCWorks Moore County Career Center are among the additional partners MCEDP works with to support Moore County’s existing industries.

“Moore County’s manufacturing sector is diverse, thriving, and growing, and our annual Manufacturing Day Breakfast is an opportunity to thank these companies that employ our residents, invest in our community every day, and help drive our economy,” said Natalie Hawkins, President of MCEDP. “It was particularly inspiring to learn how much our employers and workforce partners have already accomplished together. Supporting our local manufacturers remains a major priority for MCEDP, and we will continue to collaborate with employers and partners to help build the talent pipeline employers need.”

Moore County Economic Development Partnership is a 501c(3) not-for-profit economic development organization and public-private partnership serving all of Moore County, NC. MCEDP’s mission is to “increase economic prosperity and improve the quality of life for Moore County’s citizens through the creation of quality jobs and capital investment in our communities.”