Mountain Area Works Highlights
- Asheville metro September 2021 unemployment rate 3.2%
- Labor Crisis more than a 'hurricane, toronado, and earthquake rolled into one,' workforce expert says
- Where are the truck drivers? Shortage Adds to Delivery Delays
- Workers are in the driver's seat now, but for how long?
- Indeed: Job Seeker Interest Shifting Toward Higher Wage Jobs
- What Has Driven the Recent Increase in Retirements?
- Blue Ridge Community College sees record enrollment during COVID, looks to meet local workforce needs
- First-ever 'Career on Wheels' introduce 5th, 6th graders to different career options
- Mountain Area Workforce Development Board meeting recap
- Respond to the NC Business Pulse Survey
- Growth in the North Carolina Hispanic Workforce 2010-20
- Millions of Workers Stay Home to Watch Young Children as Daycares Struggle
- Asheville restaurants face dilemma with full dining rooms, less staff
- Nearly half of American companies say they are short on skilled workers
- There are millions of jobs, but a shortage of workers: Economists explain why that's worrying
- Leading a community college through the pandemic with grace and connection
- Pratt and Whitney Community Conversation - Job Training and Jobs
- WNC Career Expo attracts around 350 job seekers
- MFG Day 2021
- Labor Market Update: Asheville metro 3.8%, #2 lowest unemployment rate in NC
- Small Business is Big Business Job Fair
- NCWorks Asheville Workshops for Jobseekers in September and October
- NC's unemployment rate now on a 12-month streak of lower rates
- 783 individuals filed an unemployment claim in our region for August 2021
- NCWorks: Work on What's Next
- Mountain Area Careers
|
|
As of September 2021, 7,275 more people working compared to September 2020. 1,932 more people working compared to August 2021.
6,917 unemployed individuals.
Total Labor force 214,632.
|
|
Job Growth by Sector compared to one year ago |
|
Labor Force Growth compared to 5 years ago |
|
Unemployed Individuals compared to 5 years ago |
|
Asheville metro unemployment rate at 3.2%, #2 lowest of any NC metro |
|
Asheville metro now (as of August 2021) has the #2 lowest unemployment of any NC metro at 3.8%. This rate is 3.2% points lower than the metro unemployment rate of 7.0% of one year ago.
Buncombe 3.2%
Haywood 3.3%
Henderson 3.2%
Madison 3.4%
Transylvania 3.4%
Compared to September 2020, the Asheville metro added 3,900 jobs and compared to August 2021 the Asheville metro added 700 jobs.
Compared to September 2020, the Leisure & Hospitality sector added 10.8% (2,600 jobs) of the total jobs in the sector, Other Services added 3.3% (300 jobs) of the total jobs in the sector, Information was unchanged, Manufacturing added 7.4% (1,500 jobs) of the total jobs in the sector, Government added 0.4% (100 jobs) of the total jobs in the sector, Education & Health Services lost 3.7% (-1,300 jobs) of the total jobs in the sector. Mining Logging & Construction added 5.4% (500 jobs), Professional & Business Services lost 0.6% (100 jobs) of the total jobs in the sector, Financial Activities added 1.6% (100 jobs) and Trade, Transportation & Utilities added 1.2% (400 jobs) compared one year ago.
Asheville metro has the #10 greatest increase in jobs (2.1%) in NC in the past year. Our region's job growth relative to other regions in NC appears to be slowing as the Asheville metro has consistently been near the top of job growth until June 2021. Year over Year job growth by metro:
- Greenville 5.9%
- Wilmington 4.9%
- Raleigh 4.7%
- Durham/Chapel Hill 4.6%
- Burlington 3.6%
- Charlotte/Concord/Gastonia 3.4%
- Winston-Salem 3.4%
- Hickory/Lenoir/Morganton 3.3%
- Rocky Mount 2.5%
- Asheville 2.1%
- Fayetteville 1.4%
- Greensboro/High Point 1.3%
- New Bern 1.1%
- Jacksonville 1.0%
- Goldsboro -0.3%
|
|
NC's September County and Area Employment Figures Released
Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in all 100 of North Carolina's counties in September. Scotland County had the highest unemployment rate at 7.8 percent while Orange County had the lowest at 2.8 percent.
Read more
www.nccommerce.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
Labor Crisis more than a 'hurricane, toronado, and earthquake rolled into one,' workforce expert says
|
|
A hurricane, tornado and earthquake rolled into one
The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce hosted its "Growth Breakfast" Nov. 3 featured speaker Chris Laney senior strategist with Emsi Burning Glass. The chamber partnered with the Mountain Area Workforce Development Board in bringing Laney to speak.
Read more
www.citizen-times.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
Where are the truck drivers? Shortage Adds to Delivery Delays |
|
Where Are All the Truck Drivers? Shortage Adds to Delays
The trucking industry has long churned through drivers, and the pandemic has made the job even harder
Read more
www.wsj.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
Workers are in the driver's seat now, but for how long? |
|
Boyle: Workers are in the driver's seat, but for how long?
Employers are desperate for workers these days, and while the reasons for it are complex, the upshot is clear: Workers are in the driver's seat right now.
Read more
www.citizen-times.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
Job Seeker Interest Shifting Toward Higher Wage Jobs |
|
Job Seeker Interest Shifting Toward Higher Wage Jobs
Indeed's new Relative Job Seeker Interest metric shows workers are drawn to jobs advertising higher wages and that offer more opportunity to work remotely. Median advertised hourly wages are strongly correlated with rising job seeker interest.
Read more
www.hiringlab.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
What Has Driven the Recent Increase in Retirements? |
|
What Has Driven the Recent Increase in Retirements?
During the pandemic, the share of retirees in the U.S. population rose much faster than its normal pace. Typically, an increase in this share is driven by more people transitioning from employment to retirement.
Read more
www.kansascityfed.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
Blue Ridge Community College sees record enrollment during COVID, looks to meet local workforce needs |
|
BRCC sees record enrollment, looks to meet workforce needs
Blue Ridge Community College has seen record enrollment in its credit/academic programs this fall, which President Laura Leatherwood attributed to a focus on recruiting adult learners into workforce development courses.
Read more
www.blueridgenow.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
First-ever 'Careers on Wheels' introduce 5th, 6th graders to different career options |
|
First-ever 'Careers on Wheels' introduce 5th, 6th to careers
The first-ever Buncombe County Schools "Careers on Wheels" field trip was a hit on Oct. 19. The career event was for 5th and 6th graders in the Buncombe County school system. One of the goals of the event is to introduce the different career choices.
Read more
wlos.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mountain Area Workforce Development Board meeting recap |
|
Mountain Area Workforce Development Board October meeting included updates from the region's public schools Career and Technical Education (CTE) Directors, a report about the WNC Career Expo, and a presentation by Dr. Derrick Drakeford about Purpose University Mobile App and Online Curriculum. You don't want to miss Dr. Drakeford's presentation. What is your purpose?
|
|
Purpose University
Our mission is to help students to find their purpose in life and launch a business or nonprofit corporation in 24-hours.
Read more
www.learnpurpose.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
Respond to the NC Business Pulse Survey |
|
NC Commerce: NC Biz Encouraged to Provide Input
The North Carolina Department of Commerce invites employers across the state to participate in an innovative new survey to measure current business conditions in North Carolina.
Read more
www.nccommerce.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
Growth in the North Carolina Hispanic Workforce 2010 -2020 |
|
Growth in the North Carolina Hispanic Labor Force 2010-2020
We noted that population growth was at nearly 40% from 2010 to 2020, representing the third fastest growth rate (after Pennsylvania and Washington) among states with at least 1 million Hispanic residents in 2020.
Read more
www.nccommerce.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
Millions of Workers Stay Home to Watch Young Children as Daycares Struggle |
|
Millions Stay Home to Watch Children as Daycares Struggle
Children across the U.S. have returned to school in person and many daycare centers have reopened with vaccinated staffers. Still, a shortage of child-care workers is sending ripples across the U.S. workforce, stymieing employers as they try to...
Read more
www.wsj.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
Asheville restaurants face dilemma with full dining rooms, less staff |
|
AVL restaurants face dilemma full dining rooms, less staff
Full dining rooms and patios may give the illusion that restaurants and bars are back to regular operations. Yet insiders say normalcy is a long way off for the industry that still is in crisis mode amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read more
www.citizen-times.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nearly half of American companies say they are short on skilled workers |
|
Nearly 1/2 of USA biz say they are short on skilled workers
America's worker shortage is alive and well, much to the misfortune of US companies that need staff to keep up with demand.
Read more
www.cnn.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
There are millions of jobs, but a shortage of workers: Economists explain why that’s worrying |
|
There are millions of jobs, but a shortage of workers
LONDON - The Covid-19 pandemic is not only having a seismic impact on global public health but also causing chaos for the economy, with supply chain disruptions and labor shortages a big problem for businesses around the world.
Read more
www.cnbc.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
Leading a community college through the pandemic with grace and connection |
|
Leading a community college through a pandemic
As I look back on my tenure at AB Tech, my thoughts go to a line from the Grateful Dead: “What a long strange trip its been.” Taking over in the middle of a pandemic is far from normal, but then again, what has been normal for the past year and half?
Read more
www.ednc.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pratt and Whitney Community Conversation - Job Training and Jobs |
|
Asheville Facility
Asheville, North Carolina, will soon be home to Pratt & Whitney's world-class advanced casting foundry and airfoil production facility.
Read more
prattwhitney.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
Erica Anderson, Economic and Community Development Director at Land of Sky Regional Council and April Brown, Director of Business Recruitment and Retention at the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce have both been integral to supporting this project. |
|
WNC Career Expo attracts around 350 job seekers |
|
Over 100 employers at WNC Career Expo
More than 100 employers are working to attract employees at the WNC Career Expo. The event takes place from 11 a. m. - 4 p. m. on Tuesday at the WNC Agricultural Center. Organizers say most employers are offering jobs starting at $18 an hour.
Read more
wlos.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
Based on data from Emsi manufacturing employs almost 22,000 people in our region with an average earnings per job of $69,104. There are currently over 1,000 job openings in the manufacturing sector.
Manufacturing is a hotspot in our region. The national average for an area of our size is 16,517 employees while there are 21,668 here. Top job titles for employers searching for talent in our region are machine operators, material handlers, maintenance technicians and quality inspectors.
In 2020 the total earnings for the manufacturing sector in our region was $1.6 billion, this sector is responsible for $132.6 million in taxes and the total gross reginal product for manufacturing is $3.0 billion.
|
|
MFG Day 2021 hosted by the Asheville Chamber |
|
Manufacturing Jobs | Mountain Area Careers | Western NC
There are many opportunities for career advancement within the advanced manufacturing sector. Find jobs with wages above the median wage for our region.
Read more
www.mountainareacareers.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
Small Business is Big Business Job Fair held in Henderson County |
|
Workers wanted: Mountain employers look for help at job fair
Mountain employers attended the Small Business is Big Business job fair at Blue Ridge Community College on Wednesday. Caption: Workers wanted: Mountain employers look for help at job fair. “We are in a severe shortage.
Read more
wlos.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
NCWorks Career Center Asheville Jobseeker Workshops for October and November
|
|
NC unemployment now on a 12-month streak of lower rates |
|
NC unemployment now on 12-month streak of lower rates
NC's unemployment rate has now declined every month for past year, with the September's jobless figure falling to 4.2%...The seasonally adjusted rate, which compares to 4.3% unemployment during August.
Read more
www.wunc.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
783 people filed for unemployment benefits in our region during August |
|
Buncombe: 479
Henderson: 239
Madison: 27
Transylvania: 38
TOTAL: 783
Unemployment Claims by Sector in our Region
Leisure & Hospitality 139 (17.8%)
Trade Transportation & Utilities 132 (16.9%)
Unclassified/Unknown 103 (13.2%)
Educational & Health Services 136 (17.4%)
Manufacturing 81 (10.3%)
Other Services 28 (3.6%)
Professional & Business Services 99 (12.6%)
Construction 32 (4.1%)
Financial Activities 18 (2.3%)
Information 7 (0.9%)
Public Administration not disclosed
Natural Resources & Mining not disclosed
|
|
NC Jobs | Mountain Area Careers | Western North Carolina
Create Your Future in the Mountains of Western North Carolina. Find jobs from great employers. Earn a steady living and advance your career.
Read more
www.mountainareacareers.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
