SALISBURY — A two-day military workforce recruitment and hiring event is scheduled for March 20-21 in the region’s first Military Talent Attraction weekend.

“We believe Rowan County is uniquely situated to attract Veterans with the VA Hospital, our four higher education institutions and excellent location,” said Rowan Chamber President Elaine Spalding.

The Rowan Chamber, Rowan Economic Development Commission, Rowan Tourism Development Authority, NCWorks Career Center and several other community partners have been working on a program to match the needs of employers with highly skilled talent.

The schedule includes:

Welcome Reception – Friday, March 20, 5 – 7 p.m. at the Gateway Building

Job Fair & Hiring Event – Saturday, March 21, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the VA Hospital       

More than 20,000 service members transition into civilian workforce annually from a military installation in North Carolina. In order to fill current and future jobs in our community, the goal is to recruit these highly skilled employees and their families to move to Rowan County.   

“At the end of the day, we’re not saying, ‘hire a vet’ or ‘hire a service member’ because it’s the right thing to do. That is a given. What we’re saying is, ‘Hire someone because they’re a proven success in driving bottom line results,’ “ said Kimberly Williams, Executive Director of North Carolina for Military Employment (NC4ME).

If you can assist via sponsorship, contact Spalding at espalding@rowanchamber.com or 704-633-4221.

 

Record year at N.C. Transportation Museum

Staff report

SPENCER — In 2019, the N.C. Transportation Museum achieved record attendance for the third consecutive year, providing a greater economic impact to the surrounding region than ever before.

The historic site drew 158,872 visitors, an increase of 8.1% from the year before. According to figures released by the Rowan County Convention and Visitor Bureau, the museum represents a $22.2 economic impact for Rowan County and North Carolina.

N.C. Transportation Museum Executive Director Kelly Alexander said, “We are very pleased to see the numbers reflect what we have been seeing each day.  More and more people are experiencing our history and attending our great special events.”   

The record attendance in 2019 represents a six-year period of continuous growth for the N.C. Transportation Museum.  Visitation has increased 80% since 2014, the first year the museum hosted The Polar Express Train Ride.  The holiday event has become the site’s biggest draw each November and December, with more than 64,000 attendees across 22 event days in 2019.

Alexander said, “Day-to-day visitation is up, more school field trips are being booked, and we saw record visitation at a number of other events.”  The annual Fire Truck Festival, the Brew & Choo Craft Beer Festival, the aviation-centric Wind & Wings event, and summer car shows all saw record numbers in 2019.

The museum’s year-round increases have far reaching effects. The $22.2 million economic impact represents full time, part time, and seasonal employee salaries, gift shop sales, vendors, contract labor, hotel stays created by museum events, and site rentals.

James Meacham, CEO of the Rowan County Convention and Visitor Bureau, said, “The museum’s wide portfolio of events and activities attract new visitors each year, which fosters continued growth and an increasing economic impact for the region.”

Partnerships with the Rowan County CVB include free museum event tickets if visitors book an overnight stay in Rowan County, a successful promotion for events like Day Out With Thomas and The Polar Express Train Ride. The CVB is also a supporter of museum events through traditional and social media promotion and the Arts & Ag branding of events.

Meacham said, “The North Carolina Transportation Museum is a vital component of the local visitor economy and a Rowan original.”

Visit nctrans.org for more information on the museum and event tickets.