COMMUNITY CLOSE-UP: GUILFORD COUNTY.

• Author: Clarke, Anthony J.

With a population of more than 536,000, Guilford County has an economy as diverse as its residents. Boom Supersonic's $500 million "superfactory" at Piedmont Triad International Airport and Toyota North Carolina's $3.7 billion electric-vehicle battery production plant are just some of the headline-grabbing corporations shaping Guilford County's rapidly evolving economic landscape. Central to it all is Guilford Technical Community College, leveraging innovative instruction and state-of-the-art facilities to produce a highly skilled workforce.

GTCC is the fourth largest community college in North Carolina, with more than 80 programs of study, including technical and vocational training, continuing education, and college transfer programs, preparing students to enter the workforce or continue their education. The college's impact on the business community and on Guilford County tax-paying citizens is significant. A 2021 Economic Impact Study shows CTCC added $542.9 million in income to the Guilford County economy during fiscal year 2019-2020, and supported 8,662 jobs, which is one out of every 44 jobs in the county.

As the manufacturing sector of Guilford County continues to expand, CTCC's programs provide essential training for would-be workers...