Scott: Area’s Unemployment Drops, Sees Economic Growth

May 21, 2016

Gov Rick Scott announced Friday that the Pensacola area added 1,300 new private-sector jobs over the year in April. The area’s unemployment rate declined by 0.5 percentage point over the year to 4.5 percent.

Scott said, “Like the rest of our state, the Pensacola area continues to see economic growth with 1,300 new jobs added over the year. While today’s announcement is great news for Northwest Florida, we will keep working to create more opportunities across Florida so everyone who wants a job can find one.”

The industry with the greatest job growth in the Pensacola area over the year was education and health services with 500 new jobs. The Pensacola area had 5,039 job openings in April, with 1,253 openings for high-wage, high-skill, science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) occupations.

Florida’s unemployment rate dipped to 4.8 percent in April, down from 4.9 percent in March and the lowest mark for the state in more than eight years. The preliminary April jobless rate represented an estimated 472,000 Floridians being out of work — 6,000 fewer than revised March numbers — from a workforce of 9.8 million, the state Department of Economic Development announced Friday.

Comments

4 Responses to “Scott: Area’s Unemployment Drops, Sees Economic Growth”

  1. michelle on May 22nd, 2016 8:37 am

    They are trying to shut down the Navy Base and the Docks. Yes, there is a lot of big money in P’cola. But not enough to keep it a float economically. Tourism is not bringing in what it use too.

    That one little group wants to keep it a white collar Cosmopolitan city. But P’cola will always be a port city and that is where the $$$$ should be.

    There is no growth, what so ever. No new businesses, higher taxes. Contracts go to Mobile.

    The 1%, treat down town as their playground and are killing it off instead. They are trying to make it something it will never be. Open up the shipping docks. Bring back the cruise lines. Invest in the military that holds this City and areas up.

  2. anne on May 21st, 2016 1:16 pm

    It will always be medical from now on. Every town in the USA will be making a living on preying, not praying. Technology is another no-brainer for future numbers caller progress. Let’s give the mayor credit for making friends with the Gov so we get something, like an international airport. We do indeed have Fed-X landing a few times a day and they are international with their flights.

  3. Rodney on May 21st, 2016 11:08 am

    Good point JJ. Another consideration should be if the created jobs are filled by locals or brought in from out of state. When 1300 jobs are created if the larger percentage of positions are filled by current employees who are transferred to our area it doesn’t help our economy.

  4. JJ on May 21st, 2016 8:28 am

    This guy is a joke. Pensacola sees employment increase EVERY April. We are a tourist town. Does he think we are falling for his deception?

    It’s kind of like the Pensacola Mayor changing the name of the Pensacola Airport to “International” It’s an out right lie!