Utah's Job Rates Strong in 2006

None by Eric Ray

Some Industries Still Show Labor Shortage

(KCPW News) If you know someone looking for work, Utah might be the place. According to Utah's 2007 Economic Report to the Governor, the state had a job growth rate of 5.2 percent, second highest in the nation. Utah also had the second lowest unemployment rate.

Robert Spendlove, Chief Economist for the Governor, says that positive employment rates can sometimes be problematic. Strong employment growth and a low unemployment rate could result in labor shortages, inflation, wage increases and a slowing economy. However Spendlove says that Utah's strong population growth has kept the economy from slowing down.

In fact, there are some industries in Utah still in need of skilled workers. Spendlove says there is a shortage of engineers, miners, and construction workers. In fact, of the sixty thousand jobs added to Utah in 2006,
25 percent of those were in construction.

The shortages are caused by an expansion of industry in Utah. Both mining and construction showed growth rates of 18 percent.

For more information, go to www.governor.utah.gov

Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2008 KCPW