Employment has just kept getting better on the Treasure Coast this year. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity reported on Friday, April 19, that St. Lucie’s non-agricultural, not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in March was 3.9 percent.
That was down from 4.2 percent in February. And that was down from 4.7 percent in January.
Tonya Woodworth, communications director at the CareerSource Research Coast, said the jobs climate is win for all.
“There’s opportunity for employers and job seekers,” she said.
Adding to the positive jobs growth is the coming 2020 census. “We do have a couple hiring events going on,” Woodworth said. “Our next is (Wednesday) May 1. That is for the U.S. Census Bureau.”
She said the bureau will have an information session to tell people about the jobs that’ll be available for the constitutionally-mandated decennial population count. The event will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the CareerSource Garden City office, 2102 Avenue Q, Fort Pierce.
“The wages are $14 to $24 an hour,” Woodworth said.
St. Lucie County wrapped up 2018 with a not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate at 4 percent in December. Seasonal hiring helped. Come January, when the holiday hiring was done, the rate climbed to 4.7. But that dropped .5 percent in February, and .3 percent in March. The post-holiday unemployment jump was wiped out in the first quarter of 2019.
Martin and St. Lucie counties together form the Port St. Lucie Metropolitan Statistical Area. The area put on 4,600 jobs from March 2018 to March this year, which is a 3 percent increase. Some industry sectors, of course, did better than others. The area had the fastest annual job growth rate in the mining, logging and construction sector in Florida, with a 12.7 percent increase – 1,400 jobs.
Other areas that gained were professional and business services, up 1,100 jobs from March to March; education and health services, up 700 in the same timeframe; manufacturing, which also gained 700 jobs on the year; leisure and hospitality, with a gain of 400 jobs; financial activities with 300; and government, adding 100 jobs.
The only sector that showed losses from March to March was trade, transportation and utilities. Two sectors unchanged in that timeframe were information and other services. Other services include professions such as mechanics.
Woodworth said CareerSource anticipates strong employment to continue for the foreseeable future.
“We are working with local manufacturers and area partners to develop apprenticeship programs, she said. “We’re trying to help build a new pipeline of talent to help fulfill the community’s needs.”