Johnston County Works
Johnston County Economic Development data shows that the county population growth, the lack of higher education attainment, and the job growth in the county indicate a continued need for job training. The employment numbers in the agriculture sector continue to fall and the weekly wage in that sector remains at the bottom of the ranking. At the same time, manufacturing in the county is growing with over 800 new jobs over the next 4 years. Johnston County Works (JCW) is an educational/employment program that will offer educational scholarships to farmers, tobacco quota holders, farm workers and their families who have been affected by the changes in the tobacco and agriculture industries. JCW will target individuals who are unemployed or underemployed offering training programs that will lead to employment. The success of this program will be evaluated on the number of awardees who successfully complete their chosen coursework and gain employment.