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Columbus, North Carolina

Columbus County is a certified Work Ready Community that is actively engaged in maintaining their status.

Showing: Jan 1, 2012 to Jun 30, 2025

Goals updated only for participating counties

37031 Carteret 0.57 0.47 us-nc-031 CA 37187 Washington 0.56 0.50 us-nc-187 WA 37095 Hyde 0.41 0.34 us-nc-095 HY 37129 New Hanover 0.54 0.22 us-nc-129 NH 37183 Wake 0.44 0.49 us-nc-183 WA 37077 Granville 0.45 0.45 us-nc-077 GR 37121 Mitchell 0.64 0.42 us-nc-121 MI 37011 Avery 0.42 0.51 us-nc-011 AV 37091 Hertford 0.43 0.62 us-nc-091 HE 37033 Caswell 0.50 0.49 us-nc-033 CA 37001 Alamance 0.47 0.48 us-nc-001 AL 37019 Brunswick 0.61 0.54 us-nc-019 BR 37087 Haywood 0.54 0.48 us-nc-087 HA 37175 Transylvania 0.60 0.57 us-nc-175 TR 37153 Richmond 0.56 0.50 us-nc-153 RI 37107 Lenoir 0.49 0.40 us-nc-107 LE 37191 Wayne 0.66 0.47 us-nc-191 WA 37079 Greene 0.43 0.60 us-nc-079 GR 37161 Rutherford 0.61 0.50 us-nc-161 RU 37101 Johnston 0.55 0.56 us-nc-101 JO 37127 Nash 0.51 0.54 us-nc-127 NA 37081 Guilford 0.50 0.50 us-nc-081 GU 37157 Rockingham 0.50 0.48 us-nc-157 RO 37013 Beaufort 0.57 0.33 us-nc-013 BE 37137 Pamlico 0.44 0.61 us-nc-137 PA 37103 Jones 0.54 0.44 us-nc-103 JO 37049 Craven 0.35 0.28 us-nc-049 CR 37063 Durham 0.53 0.64 us-nc-063 DU 37037 Chatham 0.31 0.55 us-nc-037 CH 37185 Warren 0.51 0.43 us-nc-185 WA 37131 Northampton 0.63 0.32 us-nc-131 NO 37065 Edgecombe 0.52 0.51 us-nc-065 ED 37195 Wilson 0.49 0.55 us-nc-195 WI 37145 Person 0.50 0.49 us-nc-145 PE 37083 Halifax 0.39 0.43 us-nc-083 HA 37117 Martin 0.41 0.54 us-nc-117 MA 37135 Orange 0.49 0.50 us-nc-135 OR 37055 Dare 0.31 0.46 us-nc-055 DA 37099 Jackson 0.43 0.39 us-nc-099 JA 37159 Rowan 0.40 0.58 us-nc-159 RO 37097 Iredell 0.59 0.37 us-nc-097 IR 37025 Cabarrus 0.48 0.40 us-nc-025 CA 37179 Union 0.54 0.56 us-nc-179 UN 37181 Vance 0.50 0.43 us-nc-181 VA 37177 Tyrrell 0.50 0.45 us-nc-177 TY 37189 Watauga 0.48 0.59 us-nc-189 WA 37193 Wilkes 0.55 0.49 us-nc-193 WI 37003 Alexander 0.49 0.43 us-nc-003 AL 37027 Caldwell 0.54 0.45 us-nc-027 CA 37151 Randolph 0.50 0.52 us-nc-151 RA 37041 Chowan 0.25 0.54 us-nc-041 CH 37073 Gates 0.50 0.40 us-nc-073 GA 37139 Pasquotank 0.44 0.51 us-nc-139 PA 37039 Cherokee 0.28 0.57 us-nc-039 CH 37113 Macon 0.52 0.57 us-nc-113 MA 37133 Onslow 0.43 0.36 us-nc-133 ON 37045 Cleveland 0.52 0.63 us-nc-045 CL 37109 Lincoln 0.55 0.51 us-nc-109 LI 37119 Mecklenburg 0.45 0.57 us-nc-119 ME 37199 Yancey 0.56 0.45 us-nc-199 YA 37089 Henderson 0.58 0.50 us-nc-089 HE 37147 Pitt 0.56 0.50 us-nc-147 PI 37143 Perquimans 0.27 0.48 us-nc-143 PE 37125 Moore 0.45 0.47 us-nc-125 MO 37007 Anson 0.46 0.59 us-nc-007 AN 37141 Pender 0.48 0.43 us-nc-141 PE 37163 Sampson 0.52 0.38 us-nc-163 SA 37085 Harnett 0.49 0.54 us-nc-085 HA 37155 Robeson 0.54 0.46 us-nc-155 RO 37051 Cumberland 0.39 0.55 us-nc-051 CU 37075 Graham 0.49 0.46 us-nc-075 GR 37023 Burke 0.42 0.60 us-nc-023 BU 37165 Scotland 0.61 0.47 us-nc-165 SC 37093 Hoke 0.54 0.49 us-nc-093 HO 37111 McDowell 0.48 0.62 us-nc-111 MC 37047 Columbus 0.40 0.39 us-nc-047 CO 37061 Duplin 0.47 0.49 us-nc-061 DU 37197 Yadkin 0.51 0.59 us-nc-197 YA 37067 Forsyth 0.61 0.44 us-nc-067 FO 37171 Surry 0.55 0.49 us-nc-171 SU 37169 Stokes 0.50 0.51 us-nc-169 ST 37057 Davidson 0.63 0.45 us-nc-057 DA 37059 Davie 0.47 0.38 us-nc-059 DA 37029 Camden 0.74 0.65 us-nc-029 CA 37053 Currituck 0.43 0.30 us-nc-053 CU 37009 Ashe 0.50 0.51 us-nc-009 AS 37115 Madison 0.39 0.54 us-nc-115 MA 37021 Buncombe 0.47 0.51 us-nc-021 BU 37071 Gaston 0.51 0.51 us-nc-071 GA 37015 Bertie 0.52 0.44 us-nc-015 BE 37173 Swain 0.64 0.69 us-nc-173 SW 37035 Catawba 0.51 0.56 us-nc-035 CA 37069 Franklin 0.48 0.42 us-nc-069 FR 37005 Alleghany 0.49 0.44 us-nc-005 AL 37123 Montgomery 0.47 0.47 us-nc-123 MO 37149 Polk 0.42 0.49 us-nc-149 PO 37105 Lee 0.51 0.48 us-nc-105 LE 37043 Clay 0.57 0.49 us-nc-043 CL 37017 Bladen 0.45 0.49 us-nc-017 BL 37167 Stanly 0.60 0.49 us-nc-167 ST

Status History:

Certified: Sep 2020

3 out of 5
Hover over the chart to see how they received their points.

Progress Towards Goals

Columbus is actively engaged in maintaining their status as a Work Ready Community. To do so, they must earn 5 points that prove their ongoing commitment to developing a thriving economy for employers and employees.

Traditional goals 3 Points

Maximum of 4 points possible

Current Goal - 1 points

Emerging Goal - 1 points

Employer Support This Period - 1 points

Optional goals 0 Points

Maximum of 3 points possible

ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate [NCRC]

Workforce Total
NCRC		 Bronze
NCRC		 Silver
NCRC		 Gold
NCRC		 Platinum
NCRC
Emerging High School 1627 523 771 257 76
College 319 62 140 78 39
Current Private 147 34 78 28 7
Public 137 46 66 21 +
Transitioning Adult Education 100 49 37 12 +
Unemployed 340 126 171 39 +
Recent Veteran + + 0 0 0
Workforce category not identified 1102 235 166 116 34
Totals 3223 1077 1429 551 166
Workforce Total
NCRC
Emerging High School 1627 523 771 257 76
College 319 62 140 78 39
Current Private 147 34 78 28 7
Public 137 46 66 21 +
Transitioning Adult Education 100 49 37 12 +
Unemployed 340 126 171 39 +
Recent Veteran + + 0 0 0
Workforce category not identified 1102 235 166 116 34
Totals 3223 1077 1429 551 166

The table above is a detailed breakdown of the same ACT WorkKeys NCRC data presented in the upper right box on this page and represents ACT WorkKeys NCRCs earned or improved throughout the community. All ACT WorkKeys NCRC data is updated monthly.

+ Value less than 4

ACT WorkKeys NCRCs Earned

Showing: Jan 1, 2012 to Jun 30, 2025

Workforce Goals Actual NCRC
✓ Emerging 353 1946
✓ Current
 52 284
Transitioning 586 442
Workforce category not identified 551 551
Workforce Total
Employers Supporting 185

Improved ACT NCRC

To/From Bronze Silver Gold Platinum
Not Earned 6 2 0 0
Bronze 10 0 0
Silver 6 1
Gold 1

Service Delivery Locations

These are the locations in Columbus County where a job seeker can take the WorkKeys test.

  • Cape Fear Council of Government-Workforce Development Board

  • Southeastern Community College-NCWorks Career Center

  • Columbus County Economic Development Commission

Participating High Schools

These Columbus County high schools help students prepare for and take the WorkKeys test.

  • East Columbus High School

  • West Columbus High School

  • South Columbus High School

  • Columbus Career & College Academy Fair Bluff Campus

  • Whiteville High School

Contact Us

For more information on Columbus County's efforts in the Work Ready program, contact:

Cape Fear Council of Governments-Workforce Development Board

910-465-0629

 
 
 

Employers in Columbus County recognize or recommend the ACT WorkKeys NCRC

Does your business support job applicants with an ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate?

Learn Why It’s Important (PDF) Join The List
View All 185 Columbus County Employers Supporting

gold star icon Denotes this employers recommends job candidates have a Workkeys Certificate. Other employers recognize when job candidates hold a certificate.