RALEIGH – Wake County Economic Development is looking to maintain its momentum in new business recruitment – think Apple’s new campus as well as numerous other projects – with a $150,000 marketing campaign. Then there’s the drive to recruit new workers, especially those with high-tech skills to fill current and upcoming jobs across the Triangle.

Right now, Wake is in the running for 33 projects representing more than 10,000 jobs and $2.3 billion in investment.

Wake County Commissioners on Monday announced it would provide the cash for the new three-year effort that is designed to “capitalize on the buzz” from recent project news, such as Apple’s $1 billion campus and 3,000 jobs.

Michael Haley, who heads up the economic development office withing the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, tells WRAL TechWire, that now is not the time to “rest on past accomplishments.” And he stressed that promotion is essential to keep new business coming.

“Marketing and brand awareness is a key pillar of our overall economic development strategy. We’ve had a robust marketing and brand strategy for many years. Now is the time to keep up the momentum and share our story,” he explains. “Our strategy adjusts each year to fit with the direction of the market and our needs. We utilize a strategic combination of ad buys (print and digital), website enhancements, social media campaigns, general campaigns, tradeshow activations, creation of materials [and more].”

Haley points out that talent recruitment also is important.

“These funds not only support our economic development work, they also support our talent recruitment efforts,” he says.  As you know, Wake County Economic Development has long focused on talent pipeline and talent recruitment. Talent drives our market. We can use these funds to accelerate the new marketing campaign that is slated to launch this fall.”

And more jobs likely are coming.

“Our project activity remains very strong,” Haley says. “This effort is about seizing the opportunity we have and continuing to capitalize on the strong momentum of Wake County and the region.”

Google, for example, plans a new engineering hub in Durham. Fidelity Investments is adding 500 jobs in the Triangle Raleigh-based Red Hat has hundreds of jobs to fill. And numerous life science firms across the Triangle region are adding new facilities as well as jobs.

According to the Chamber’s latest economic recruitment update, thousands of jobs and billions of investment are recruitment targets:

New & Expanding Company Announcements since October 1, 2020: 52

  • Jobs: 7,999
  • Investment: $3.8 billion

Total Projects received Since October 1,  2020: 66

  • Potential Jobs: 19,950
  • Potential Investment: $4.4 billion
  • Client Visits: 22
  • Active Projects 33
  • Potential Jobs: 10,011
  • Potential Investment: $2.3 billion

“We (Raleigh Chamber and Wake County Economic Development) are not ones to rest on past accomplishments so we must remain proactive in our marketing, brand, and talent efforts,” haley adds. “Wake County Government is a great partner in our economic development efforts. I want to thank the Commissioners for their ongoing support.”