ASHEVILLE — From a list of the South’s best cities to multiple restaurants in Asheville’s abounding food scene placing at the top of different charts, this Western North Carolina city often gets recognition in fan favorite polls. This time, it’s ranked No. 1 nationally for a particular type of workplace survey.
In a newly released survey of 3,000 professionals looking for their next job switch, Asheville placed first in the U.S. as the premier choice for relocating in pursuit of a new career direction.
That’s according to a survey conducted by Careerminds.com, a career management company that in part helps displaced workers land a new role outside their current organization, particularly assisting companies with employees spread over large geographical regions.
“The city has a growing economy in healthcare, education, and tourism, supported by a strong community focus on sustainability and local businesses,” the survey says as to why Asheville ranked at the top.
“Asheville’s cultural diversity, along with its commitment to environmental initiatives, makes it ideal for families seeking a unique blend of urban amenities and access to nature,” the survey also said.
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Not surprising, says local workforce expert
Asheville’s high ranking is “not surprising,” Nathan Ramsey, workforce development director of the Mountain Area Workforce Development Board, a federally created public-private economic development group, told the Citizen Times March 11.
“Our region continues to have the lowest unemployment rate in North Carolina at 2.5%,” Ramsey said, adding that Buncombe County is at a 2.4% unemployment rate.
There are around 18,000 job openings in the area, allowing for many opportunities for workers to find another job, according to Ramsey. However, he said employers are “still under stress as other employers are trying to ‘steal’ their talent.”
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Ramsey listed the primary sectors of our economy as: manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality/tourism, and professional/business services.
“We’ve seen a lot of growth lately in professional and business services,” Ramsey said, noting that there’s been an increase of 3,000 professional and business jobs since February 2020.
There are currently 1,000 job openings in manufacturing, according to Ramsey. While the manufacturing industry has not seen much growth, calling it “basically flat,” Ramsey said this is good, given the closure of Pactiv Evergreen’s paper mill in Canton almost exactly a year ago.
One thing Ramsey counters the study on is the state of the area’s healthcare economy, which he says is still struggling to recover pre-pandemic jobs. He also noted that leisure and hospitality jobs are slightly down compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Where do other NC cities rank?
Following behind Asheville on the list of top places for a career shift were:
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No. 2: Pasadena, California
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No. 3: Oviedo, Florida
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No. 4: St. Johnsbury, Vermont
For North Carolina cities in particular, Winston-Salem made the list at No. 47 nationally and second in the state, followed by Greenville at No. 73 nationally and third in the state and Hickory at No. 74 nationally and fourth in the state.
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Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at rober@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville ranks top nationally for people relocating for career shifts
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