- April 15, 2022
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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) – Alabama is on the right track, that’s the takeaway after the newest round of unemployment numbers went out Friday.
Alabama went down a tenth of a percentage, moving from 3.1% to 3% unemployed.
These numbers are keeping us as the state with the lowest unemployment rate in the southeast.
“You’ve seen increases, yearly increases in the double digits which is almost unheard of,” Tara Hutchison, Alabama Department of Labor spokesperson said.
There are 12,000 and more people working in leisure and hospitality jobs in Alabama right now than there were this time last year; that’s according to the Alabama Department of Labor.
Spokesperson Tara Hutchison says these employers are also paying more.
“The wages in those types of sectors, the manufacturing, the leisure and hospitality, retail, those wages have increased significantly since the pandemic so the market is responding to the demands of the workforce,” she said.
But finding great workers is still a challenge.
WAFF stopped by the 106 Jefferson Hotel in downtown Huntsville. The marketing and sales director tells us they have been fully staffed since opening last August but are still hiring.
“Well it’s always a struggle, you always want to have the very best of the best. And I think with Huntsville being so successful, everyone is competing for that same employee. So it’s what you’re able to offer to them that sets you apart,” Mary Beth Lewis said.
Another industry Hutchison says is seeing an increase; construction.
But Lee Builders in Huntsville is not seeing many line up to work.
“We have not seen an uptick in applications. We’re actively pursuing and we have ads up for different things trying to hire folks. We are definitely struggling for the workforce,” Vice President of Lee Builders, Sean Lee said.
Hutchison says she’s aware employers are still having a hard time finding workers..
“As we are making that shift we are trying to get back to our previous proactive stances of trying to actively get people back into the workforce,” Hutchison said.
Hutchison wants to add you can take advantage of any county career center for help finding jobs and free resume help.
You can find a link for jobs at Lee Builders here.
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