City of Hickory

Tourism plays an important role in Catawba County's economy! In 2023, visitor impact for Catawba County spending increased by 5.1% to $348.22 million! Thanks to all the local businesses and industries that help make Hickory and Catawba County wonderful places to visit. Learn more about tourism’s economic impact in Catawba County here: https://lnkd.in/gTmNMRuC

ICYMI: The City of Hickory participated in City Hall Selfie Day on Aug. 15. Organized by ELGL: Engaging Local Government Leaders, #CityHallSelfie Day brings together thousands of public servants and community members every year to celebrate local government and recognize the work of public servants in our community. We love serving the #HickoryNC community! If you're interested in a career in local government, check out https://lnkd.in/enzGRR6 for a list of current opportunities with the City of Hickory

New and available free of charge, “7 Steps to Get Hired: The Keys to Building Your Future” was designed with Opportunity Youth in mind. This uniquely interactive, self-paced, online Human Resource Development (HRD) course is offered through a partnership between Carolina Across 100 and the North Carolina Community College System. The course engages learners in practicing high-demand workplace skills, developing their resumes, and building the confidence they need to land the jobs they want. Funding for the development of the course came from the Golden LEAF Foundation and UNC-Chapel Hill.  Young adults who register for this course will be offered local support through the NCWorks NextGen program and “Our State, Our Work” teams to encourage course completion and to help learners continue the journey to the career they want. To sign up for the course, visit: https://lnkd.in/gcUNU3gj 

Carolina Across 100 is partnering with Microsoft to offer a free Microsoft Fundamentals certification to young adults in North Carolina. This offer is time-limited and available to the first 100 learners who register. The certification exam must be completed (either online or in-person) by September 26, 2024. To request a course code for fee exemption, please contact Alecia Matthews at [email protected]. 

#AvailableGrantAlert - NC IDEA SEED grants are for growing scalable startups.    NC IDEA SEED offers early stage companies the critical funding they need to scale faster. These $50K grants are awarded to innovative startups with a proven concept — even if they are not yet profitable. The funds, along with mentorship and guidance, push companies forward and reduce risk associated with growing startups. NC IDEA SEED grants are specifically targeted at companies headquartered in and that conduct a majority of corporate operations in the State of North Carolina. SEED grants are awarded to innovative companies with proprietary intellectual property or other means of sustained competitive advantage that are solving large problems.   Companies in Hickory are strongly recommended to apply if eligible. The deadline for applications is August 26. For eligibility criteria, application process, and program details, check out https://lnkd.in/eTb-u8-g.

#AvailableGrantAlert - NC IDEA MICRO awards $10K project-based grants to young companies looking to validate assumptions and develop a business model.    NC IDEA MICRO grants are specifically targeted at companies headquartered in and that conduct a majority of corporate operations in the State of North Carolina. NC IDEA MICRO grants are awarded to companies bringing an innovative product or business model to the market. Companies with proprietary intellectual property or other means of sustained competitive advantage that are solving large problems are preferred.   Companies in Hickory are strongly recommended to apply if eligible. The deadline for applications is August 26. For eligibility criteria, application process, and program details, check out https://lnkd.in/evJSJc5c.

For the first time since 2014, the City of Hickory is hosting the 2024 Corporate Challenge for local businesses and organizations. The 2024 Corporate Challenge is a unique opportunity for work teams to participate in team-building activities and compete against other companies for prizes. Different challenges vary from trivia games to physical achievements and sports competitions. All challenges will occur on weeknights from late September through early October. Teams can be comprised of six to 15 participants, and all participants must be employed by the company enrolled in the corporate challenge. Registration is open until Sept. 13 at https://lnkd.in/eN9FRY47 The price to register is $200 per business or organization. For more information, contact Caleb Brown at [email protected] or 828-328-3997.

In recognition of #BlackBusinessMonth, we want to spotlight a great resource for Black, minority, and women-owned businesses. The North Carolina Department of Administration's HUB Office works to promote economic opportunities for historically underutilized businesses in state government contracting and procurement. https://lnkd.in/eJNTGhHt

North Carolina, and Hickory in specific, has much to be proud of, especially when it comes to the products it manufactures. Let's celebrate Hickory’s creativity, innovation, and talent by nominating your favorite made-in-NC product. Link to nominate "What's the Coolest Thing Made in NC?" https://lnkd.in/dbmEjZEy Nominations will close on Tuesday, August 13, 2024. 

Goodwill Catawba County Career Connections and the NCWorks Career Center will host the Season to Succeed Hiring Event on Thursday, Aug. 29, from 1-4 p.m. at the NCWorks Career Center (403 Conover Station SE, Conover). The City of Hickory is proud to participate in this hiring event. Stop by our booth to learn about career opportunities with the City of Hickory and how you can make a difference by serving locally.