Gaston's Workforce Has
1.1 Million Mobile People

Gaston County's workforce includes more than 1.1 million people in the Charlotte-Gastonia-Salisbury Combined Statistical Area (CSA)

• Currently, Gaston itself has a workforce of over 100,000 residents
• 1 million more reside in the 13 interconnected counties in central North Carolina and upper South Carolina
• Over 30,000 commute into Gaston County each workday from surrounding counties

Jobs In The Region Are
Easily Accessible

• Interstate 85, US Highway 74, NC Highway 27, and US Highway 321 connect Gaston County with the greater Charlotte Region
• As the nation's second-largest financial center, Charlotte has an abundance of white-collar jobs in finance, technology and other fields
• As the region's second-most-populous county, Gaston also offers over 69,000 jobs within its borders
• More than 30,000 Gaston County residents commute to other counties to work, with over 23,000 going into Mecklenburg (Charlotte etc.)

Gaston County's Workforce At A Glance - Employed And Unemployed

(Typical data; actual numbers vary monthly)

As of August, 2011:

Services and Manufacturing
Top Gaston's Employment

• Services - 30.4%

• Manufacturing - 16.9%
• Retail Trade, 14.2%

• Construction - 4.2%
• Transportation, Utilities - 2.4%
• Fire - 3%
• Wholesale Trade - 3.1%
• Public Administration - 5.8%
• Information - 1.0%

(Based on 2010 data obtained from Employment Security Commission)

North Carolina's Incumbent Worker Program and JobLink Career Centers

• North Carolina's Incumbent Worker Program provides funding to established N. C. businesses to provide educational and skills training for current workers. For details, click here.
• North Carolina's JobLink Career Centers offer employers a single place to access a variety of employment and training services to meet their workforce needs. For details, click here.

For more information on state and local workforce-related programs, visit the Gaston County Workforce Development Board website at GastonWorks.com or contact Pat Bailey, Business Liaison of the Board, at 704-862-7867.

Gaston Offers Many Workforce Resources

North Carolina offers a free New and Expanding Industry Training (NEIT) Program
• Companies creating 12 or more new production jobs are eligible
• Gaston College, a leading community college, will create custom training programs for qualified employers
• Courses are designed the way you want them, taught by qualified instructors, at your site or on campus
• NEIT guidelines are available for additional information

Other Available
Workforce Resources

• More than 30 colleges, technical institutes and universities are within 50 miles of Gaston County
• Gaston County's public schools are among the best in the state
• More than a dozen private schools are also available
• Gaston County has over 20 private employment agencies in addition to the local North Carolina Employment Security Commission office in Gastonia.

Visit our PDF Library for more information or download our Workforce, Education, Employment PDF.

Click to view our Workforce Video:
• WMV 8.3MB
• MOV 2.1MB