With a focus on jobs, tourism and education, community leaders gathered Tuesday to discuss current and future strategies with the Caldwell County Economic Development Commission at the J.E. Broyhill Civic Center in Lenoir.

As the county seeks ways to pull itself out of the worst economic downturn in a generation, Caldwell County EDC Executive Director Harry Whalen said proactivity is the order of the day.

"We've got to get our message out," he said. "We're not going to sit around on our butts and wait here."

Whalen said the EDC is focusing on a multi-county data center corridor initiative that includes Catawba, in an effort to capitalize off the location of Google and Apple in the Catawba Valley.

In addition, Whalen said the EDC is looking to land jobs in the advanced manufacturing and health care sectors, while also seeking opportunities for existing businesses to expand their operations.

"We know we have to prepare to attract investment," he said. "We just have to position ourselves and get in front of the site consultants."

Caldwell 20/20 President and CEO Deborah Murray said the county faces challenges in education in order to have a workforce that can participate in the 21st century economy. She noted recent data that shows a staggering 32.6 percent of the county does not have a high school diploma, nearly double the national average.

The county also has just 6.1 percent of the population with a bachelor's degree, compared to 16.8 percent for all of North Carolina and 17.5 percent across the country.

"People are starting to fall through the cracks," she said.

The education shortfall and the exodus of 8,000 well-paying manufacturing jobs since 2000 have caused the county to lag in average weekly income, according to data from the North Carolina Employment Security Commission. Caldwell workers earn just over $600 per week, well below the average weekly wage of $800 in North Carolina and $900 in the United States.

One area of Caldwell County that has seen growth is in the tourism arena. Caldwell County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Deborah Ashley said tourism produced a $49 million economic benefit to the county last year.

The 5.7 percent increase in economic benefit was the eighth highest in the state, according to Ashley, pointing to the delayed harvest fishing area that is being created along Wilson Creek by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission as a potential tourism boon for the future.

But with the economic downturn, Ashley said the Chamber has not been able to replace its former tourism director. EDC Board member William Howard said finding ways to bolster tourism should be a priority.

"It's a vital element for the transformation of our county," he said. "It's the one area that is growing."