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Contact: October 2, 2026
Natalie Hawkins, President
Moore County Economic Development Partnership
nhawkins@moorecountyedp.org 
910.246.0311
Moore County’s Manufacturing Industries Recognized in Celebration 
of National Manufacturing Day
[Pinehurst, NC] – Moore County Economic Development Partnership (MCEDP) and its community 
workforce development partners hosted the 2026 Moore CountyManufacturing Day Breakfast on October 
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st 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 fostersinterest 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 officialsincluding 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 PreEmployment 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 
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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 companiesindicated 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 ourlocal manufacturersremains 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.”
For more information about MCEDP, visit www.moorecountyedp.org.