Business recruiters with the state are meeting with local and regional economic developers in an initiative intended to size up regional assets and bring jobs statewide.

The NC 100 initiative, led by the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC), regularly sends a team of eight statewide business recruiters, supervisors and other staff for two- to three-day gatherings across five regions, according to a release from the EDPNC.

The initiative is now in its second year. In 2016, the EDPNC coordinated six NC 100 events drawing local economic developers across the state.

“It made sense to set up ‘team meetings’ that enable local economic developers from all the state’s counties to meet regularly with our entire staff of recruiters,” David Spratley, EDPNC vice president for business recruitment, said in the release.

“What is learned in these visits helps state and local economic developers better market and match locations to companies seeking the best place to relocate or expand,” Spratley added.

North Carolina’s Southeast Regional Economic Development Partnership hosted an NC 100 event in Elizabethtown earlier this year, said Steve Yost, president of the group that helps support efforts in 18 counties including New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick counties.

Yost said the NC 100 and other efforts with the EDPNC are outlined in North Carolina’s Southeast’s 2017-20 Strategic Marketing Plan, the details of which were released this summer.

During the EDPNC gathering in Elizabethtown, groups held presentations showcasing various regional assets including workforce capabilities, availability of industry park sites and buildings and other availabilities in infrastructure.

“Our overarching goal is to just build stronger collaboration among local, regional and state-level economic development efforts. And collaboration I think is the No. 1 necessary ingredient to do successful economic development,” Yost said.

There are a number of prospects have been developed as a result of the collaboration that takes place through NC 100 efforts, Yost said.

“I think some of that is related back to them having gained more knowledge of our assets in the region,” Yost said. “Overall I would say it has helped the number of opportunities grow for the region as a whole.”

Yost said North Carolina’s Southeast will participate in the NC 100 initiative again in Cary in 2018.