The state has set new records for both total nonfarm employment and total private employment, based on data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment is a little more two-million jobs and private sector employment is nearly one-point-seven million jobs. Louisiana Works Deputy Secretary Osmar Padilla says the state’s unemployment rate has also fallen nearly a half a percent over the last year to 4.2 percent, because employers are constantly hiring.
“There’s sustained demand for talent around the state across all different kinds of industries,” Padilla said.
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Padilla says there are 124,000 job vacancies posted at Louisiana Works.
Over the last month, trade, transportation and utilities, along with construction saw the largest job gains. Padilla says over the last year, private education and health services added 15,000 jobs.
“Pick anything in health care, registered nurses, physicians all the way to customer service reps,” Padilla said.
The data shows Baton Rouge has added 6,000 jobs over the last year, Lafayette 2,100 jobs, New Orleans 1,600 jobs and Monroe 1,200 jobs. Padilla says most of Louisiana’s metro areas are seeing growth.
The Houma metro area has lost 800 jobs over the last year.