HALIFAX COUNTY, N.C. — For five years, a building sat empty in the Halifax Industrial Park. It was built to lure new industry. Now, the wait is finally paying off with word a computer firm is coming, creating up to 500 jobs over a 10-year period.

Workers will make about $26,000 a year and get health benefits. Job experts say that is just what the area needs.

"Some people are working. They are having to work two or three jobs to make ends meet sometimes and, of course, they are looking for full-time jobs and benefits that have a good rate of pay," said Tommy McKnight, of the state Employment Security Commission.

Gov. Mike Easley is expected to make the announcement official soon that more new jobs are coming to the Roanoke Valley. The announcement will be made on the grounds of Halifax County Community College. Officials believe the college will play a crucial role in training the work force.

Halifax Community College has responded to the call to train workers before. The school helped fill 700 jobs at a Lowe's Distribution Center in neighboring Northampton County.

Each new job announcement slowly replaces the need created when textile mills left town a couple years ago.

"It's a great improvement and things seem to be getting better and we look forward to it to continue to improve," McKnight said.

The newest industry could be in operation by early April. Earlier in the year, the Roanoke Rapids area was featured in

USA Today

as an up-and-comer for business.