Orange County NC Website
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F <br />12, <br />STATUS OF ORANGE COUNTY Emiggyment <br />The overall average annual wage in orange County (1987 statistics) wa: <br />a $18,063. More than 25 percent of jobs pay wages that keep a family of <br />three (the average sized family in the County) below the poverty line. <br />These are the "working poor" in the county. Also, sources of income have <br />shifted since 1986. The number of persons working in low- paying service <br />jobs has increased, while jobs in the high - paying manufacturing sector have <br />decreased. Forty -four percent of all county residents were involved in <br />service employment in 1987. Low wage industries. contribute considerably t, <br />the population of the working poor. (Dobelstein 1989) <br />(print logo) PERCEIVED NEEDS FOR CHANGE /IMPROVEMENT <br />* Provide counselling and /or referral <br />skills <br />-- Establish an employment council <br />- -Need for job fairs <br />- identify location of jobs <br />identify job requirements <br />-- Differentiate between "career" <br />- provide counselling and /or <br />acquire skills <br />to enable individuals to acquire <br />and "jobs" <br />referral to enable individuals to <br />* Need more comprehensive transportation system <br />-- Coordinate with existing human services system <br />-- Expand current services (e.g., request McSroom bus system to expl <br />how they might help relieve some of the current needs) <br />* More economic development <br />- -Need for forthcoming report from Economic Development Commission <br />- -Need to review and revise development restrictions which discourag <br />industry from locating in the County <br />* Encourage basic income to all <br />- -More competitive wages and improved working conditions <br />- Critical need for primary employers to reclassify jobs and rai <br />f <br />wage scales <br />--Need for wages to be comparable to the cost of living in the <br />County <br />- -Need for employers to put more resources into training/ education for <br />a better work force <br />- -Need for employers to offer incentives to continue /finish <br />education <br />-- Utilize volunteer programs that increase productivity <br />for Humanity and Literacy Council) <br />(e.g., Habitat <br />* Promote farming in county <br />-- Provide workable regulations for land use and water quality <br />-- Promote and coordinate a county farmers market <br />