By Laura Layden | Naples Daily News
Jobless rates continue to fall across Southwest Florida, as employers scramble to fill both year-round and seasonal jobs.
Last month, the Naples area saw its unemployment rate drop to 5.9 percent, down from 6.1 percent in July and 7 percent a year ago, according to a monthly report by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
In August, the Naples area added 4,100 jobs over the year — and likely could have added many more if it wasn’t so difficult for employers to find workers.
“I can tell you here we need more workers,” said Beth Barger, the Naples center supervisor for CareerSource Southwest Florida. “I think that’s across the board anywhere. I can tell you in the centers in the five county area we serve we are all saying the same thing ‘great jobs, just need more applicants.’ ” CareerSource Southwest Florida, a publicly-funded jobs agency, matches employers with job seekers.
Skilled workers in trades, such as plumbers and electricians, are particularly in high demand, with construction booming again in Southwest Florida. The shortage of construction workers here mirrors a national trend.
“What we are finding is that we are getting more and more requests for on the job training from employers,” Barber said. “We reimburse the employers for the significant cost for that person’s training.”
The industries gaining the most jobs in the Naples area over the year in August were education and health services (+800) and professional and business services (+700). The area had 4,083 online job openings last month, including 712 for high wage, high skill science, technology, engineering and math occupations, according to a news release from Gov. Rick Scott.
“I am excited to announce another month of positive job growth in Naples, with more than 4,000 jobs created over the year. We are working to make Florida the top destination for jobs so more companies will choose to grow and create job opportunities for our families,” Scott said in a statement.
In August, all counties in Southwest Florida saw their unemployment rates fall in over the month — and over the year. The regional rate dropped 1.2 percentage points over the year to 5.8 percent.
Of the five counties, Lee had the lowest jobless rate in August — at 5.4 percent, down from 5.5 percent in July and 6.6 percent a year ago. Last month, its metro area added 6,500 jobs over the year, for a 2.9 percent increase.
Combined, the three metro areas in the region, Cape Coral-F ort Myers, Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island and Punta Gorda gained 12,300 jobs over the year in August. The education and health services and leisure and hospitality industries led the way in job gains, each adding 2,700.
With the busiest season for tourists around the corner and the Christmas holiday shopping season not that far away, local employers already have started their seasonal hiring, whilecontinuing their search for year-round workers.
“It’s a busy time for us in the area,” Barger said.
Among the employers her office is working with to fill jobs are Macy’s, Lowe’s and The Arlington, a new resort-style continuing care retirement community in East Naples.
Barger stresses that seasonal jobs can become permanent ones for hard workers.
Her office has a hiring event coming up for toll collectors Sept. 30, and another for Goodwill Industries on Oct. 8, which is looking for sales associates.
In Fort Myers, Career-Source also is working with a number of employers to recruit workers including Paramount Logistics, which has more than 50 open jobs, Barger said.
“Wherever you go there is a need,” she said. “You can definitely see we switched back to the job seeker market.”
Statewide, the unemployment rate dropped to 5.6 percent last month, down from 5.7 percent in July, not seasonally adjusted. The adjusted rate dropped to 5.3 percent.
Thenation’s unemployment rate was 5.1 percent in August.
Florida businesses have added 940,600 private sector jobs since December 2010. Last month, 20,100 were created across Florida.
“Florida’s economic resurgence continued in August with a nation-leading growth rate for private sector jobs and the lowest unemployment rate in seven years,” said Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Executive Director Jesse Panuccio in a statement. “This economic growth is what happens when taxes are kept low and regulation is kept in check. Florida continues to set an example for the nation.”