The Texas Workforce Commission announced the unemployment rate dropped from 8.1% in November 2020 to 7.2% in December 2020. The state added more than 64,000 new jobs, marking the eighth consecutive month of job growth.
“Probably would really keep us going, and Central Texas is construction and health care. They were considered essential jobs, and they were never really impacted by the pandemic,” said Workforce Solutions of Central Texas Director of Industry and Education Partnerships Charley Ayres. “Finding a job during the pandemic has been beyond difficult for many Texans, but they’re out there and here in Waco, Killeen, Temple and beyond. More folks are finding work."
Ayres says it’s one step closer to geting our economy here in the Lone Star State back to normal.
He says reopening tourism and food service businesses have also helped people find work, but it’s a challenge to find people to work those jobs.
“There’s a lot of openings. It’s just a matter of connecting the people to the jobs. We’ve seen the job market continue to grow,” said Ayres.
Ayres says childcare and transportation remain major obstacles. Workforce Solutions of Central Texas has been provided grant money to help them with those services.
