Sanderson Farms plans to create over 1,000 jobs when it locates its state of the art processing plants in Robeson County.
North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory expects this company to make a huge positive impact all across the region.
However, for many they’re uncertain about their own job prospects.
“For the last couple of weeks it’s been hard. Some people call you, some people don’t call you…you know how it goes,” mentioned Randy Hunt, as he filled out job applications with his girlfriend.
“Maybe one of these will come through. I’ve been up here for the last two days,” he added.
11 miles from Lumberton, down I-95 in St. Paul’s, the country’s third largest producer in poultry, says that’s where it will build its next processing plant.
Sanderson Farms rakes in almost $3 billion a year.
“I used to be a pallet jack driver, so I’m hoping…I know they need a pallet jack driver so I need to get over there,” Hunt said.
Engineering work is already underway with just over thousand jobs on the horizon.
“If you get a plant coming in and they’re saying they’re it’s going to be about $29,000 a year and they are going to have benefits and 401k. I think that’s a big plus for the county,” explained Peggy Hunt Davis, Employment Manager with the NC Department of Commerce.
Last month, Robeson County’s unemployment rate dropped to 7.6 percent.
Sanderson Farms hopes to add to the already existing list of places hiring.
“Even though this is happening in 2016, it’s still giving people hope. It’s giving them promise,” Davis stated.
The plant will be just off highway 20 about a few miles outside of St. Paul’s.
A groundbreaking is scheduled for June. The hiring process is said to start as soon as august.
