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State unemployment remains at 6.6 percent, maintaining 14-year high State unemployment remains at 6.6 percent, maintaining 14-year highFlorida's unemployment remained at 6.6 percent in September, but it's still the highest jobless rate in 14 years, according to the latest figures by the state Agency for Workforce Innovation. The rate represents 613,000 people that were out of work statewide. That's 2.4 percentage points higher than a year ago and above the national jobless mark of 6.1 percent.
The unemployment rate remains the same as the revised August rate of 6.6 percent and is up 2.4 percentage points from the September 2007 rate. Florida’s August and September 2008 unemployment rates are the highest since October 1994, which was also 6.6 percent. The rate represents a loss of 115,500 jobs from September 2007, for a total employment level of 7,899,000. This is slower than the national rate for September which is -0.4 percent. The September 2008 job growth rate continues the trend of negative over-the-year growth that began in September 2007, primarily due to declines in construction. Governor Crist has named world-class talent as one of the six economic drivers in his Blueprint for Florida’s Innovation Economy. World-class talent is an integral component of attracting and expanding job-creating businesses. Workforce and economic development partners, including the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise Florida and Associated Industries of Florida, have also acknowledged world-class talent as vital to Florida’s future success. "The development of world-class talent is paramount to Florida's future economic prosperity," said Monesia T. Brown, Director of the Agency for Workforce Innovation. "Together with the state's top business leaders, we are aligning our priorities to further advance Governor Crist's mission of developing a talent-based workforce aimed at growing, attracting and expanding businesses." Quick Facts• The number of jobs in Florida is down 115,500 in September 2008 compared to a year ago. Construction, reacting to declines in the housing market, lost 71,900 jobs over the year (-12.4 percent). Construction losses account for 40.5 percent of job losses in the state. • Professional and business services (-40,500 jobs, -3.1 percent); trade, transportation, and utilities (-28,700 jobs, -1.8 percent); manufacturing (-22,200 jobs, -5.8 percent); financial activities (-10,600 jobs, -2.0 percent); information (-3,000 jobs, -1.9 percent); and other services (-800 jobs, -0.2 percent) have over-the-year declines. These declines are partially due to weakness in employment services; motor vehicle and auto parts dealers; fabricated metal product manufacturing; credit intermediation; and publishing. • Education and health services ranks first among Florida’s major industries in the number of new jobs, expanding by 35,800 jobs over the year (+3.5 percent). Much of this increase is due to growth in ambulatory health care services and hospitals. • Leisure and hospitality (+17,500 jobs, +1.9 percent) and total government (+8,900 jobs, +0.8 percent) account for the remainder of job gains. • In September 2008, Walton County has the state’s lowest unemployment rate (4.0 percent), followed by Alachua, Franklin, and Sumter counties (4.5 percent each) and Leon and Okaloosa counties (4.8 percent each). Wakulla County follows, with an unemployment rate of 5.0 percent. Bradford, Liberty, and Union counties have the fifth lowest unemployment rate (5.1 percent). • Hendry County, at 14.1 percent, has the highest unemployment rate in Florida in September, followed by Flagler County (10.3 percent), St. Lucie County (10.2 percent), Indian River County (10.1 percent), and Okeechobee County (9.9 percent). Hendry County’s high jobless rate is due mainly to seasonal declines in agriculture and related industries. Source: Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation, Labor Market Statistics Center, Local Area Unemployment Statistics Program in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Looking for a job?• Employ Florida Marketplace – The Employ Florida Marketplace website (www.employflorida.com) is a powerful online tool designed to connect the state’s vast pool of talent with thousands of businesses looking to fill positions ranging from entry-level to executive. • One-Stop Career Centers – Florida’s 88 One-Stop Career Centers, locally operated by Regional Workforce Boards, provide local access to job placement services, local workforce information and job training opportunities. Follow this link for a Map of Florida One-Stop Career Centers. (http://www.floridajobs.org/onestop/onestopdir/index.htm) • Mobile One-Stop Career Centers – Florida’s Mobile One-Stop Career Centers allow citizens in rural areas, at job fairs and during emergency situations to access critical workforce information and services. • Labor Market Information – The Agency for Workforce Innovation’s Labor Market Statistics Center produces data, such as employment, unemployment and wage information, that assist workforce/economic development, education, employers and job seekers. These statistics assist with economic analysis, business recruitment, career counseling and other critical business decision-making. Follow this link for information about the Agency’s Labor Market Statistics Center. (http://www.labormarketinfo.com/) • Incumbent and Employed Worker Training – Incumbent and Employed Worker Training programs increase opportunities for workers who acquire new skills by reimbursing Florida’s businesses for a portion of the cost of training their employees. Follow this link for information about the Incumbent Worker Training program, administered by Workforce Florida, Inc. (http://www.workforceflorida.com/employers/iwt.htm) • Follow this link for information about the Employed Worker Training program, administered by your local Regional Workforce Board.(http://www.floridajobs.org/onestop/onestopdir/index.htm) • Work Opportunity Tax Credit - The Work Opportunity Tax Credit offers a financial incentive to private, for-profit employers to hire individuals from certain targeted groups, who experience high rates of unemployment due to a variety of employment barriers. Follow this link for information about the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. The Agency for Workforce Innovation works closely with its partners, including Workforce Florida, Inc. and the state’s 24 Regional Workforce Boards, to provide critical workforce programs throughout the state and further the Governor’s priority of developing world-class talent. For more information on these and other Agency for Workforce Innovation programs, go to www.FloridaJobs.org. |
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