WACO, Texas — Texas marked its 14th consecutive month for record employment in the state, surpassing the pre-COVID employment number set in November 2021.
Many businesses are seeing the increase of applicants as they work through the backlash from the pandemic.
Texas' unemployment rate declined for the first time in three months to 3.9 percent in December, marking the first month the rate fell below 4 percent.
Numbers are the same for Central Texas.
“It's great news," said Amber Winter, communications manager for Workforce Solutions Central Texas. "It shows that people want to continue to work in Central Texas, which is really important for the economy in the area.”
Representatives of 4 Sons Trucking in Waco say they’re glad to see more people joining the workforce, but they are still recovering from the impact of COVID.
“Lets me know, we have to grow. We still, as a struggling business, we still need the capitol and the equipment and manpower to grow, so that’s what it says to us,” said Wannika & Maymus Muhammad, owners of 4 Sons Trucking Inc.
The "We All Win" program in the city of Waco has helped small businesses — like 4 Sons Trucking — with funding to help recover from the pandemic.
It's help that the Muhammads say is needed for more Central Texas businesses to get in on the hiring.
With Texas now having a population of 30 million people, Workforce Solutions says the employment trend should continue, and small businesses like 4 Sons Trucking hope to be a part of the trend.
