Despite Alabama’s record low unemployment rate, Governor Kay Ivey stated on Thursday that there’s still about 50,000 eligible workers who aren’t even looking for jobs – and that‘s a problem.
The solution?
She says “We’ve got to work on getting 50,000 folks who aren’t looking for jobs, get them off their fannies, get them looking for jobs because there are jobs to be had,” She made that statement after her recent address made to the Athens-Limestone County Chamber of Commerce.
Ivey’s blunt assessment underscores an issue that she elevated in recent weeks to spotlight the state’s shrinking workforce – as “help wanted” signs are seemingly everywhere. The governor also raised the issue during a 15-minute luncheon speech made to about 200 community and business leaders in Athens.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Alabama has a labor participation rate of 72.1% – and only THREE states rank lower – even as the state’s workforce of about 2.3 million represents a new high mark.
Still – ranking near the bottom nationally in labor participation somewhat offsets the fact that Alabama is 7th nationally with a 2.2% unemployment rate.
The unemployment rate of course only includes those LOOKING for jobs.
Ivey told the chamber audience “Today, over 2.1 million people are employed in Alabama, that’s the most in state history, y’all. we recently announced that the unemployment rate in Alabama remains at a record low of 2.2% – the lowest in the southeast – and while Alabama has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the entire country we’re ranking at the other end of the scale in labor force participation.” …and while she’s been committed to improving the quality of education in the state, she stated on Thursday that she is “equally as committed to removing all the barriers that keep Alabamians from seeking jobs – and we need more people working to grow our economy while also raising their standard of living and quality of life.”
Ivey lauded all of the workforce training at Calhoun Community College – based just 12 miles south of where she was addressing the chamber audience Thursday in downtown Athens. She also promoted adding 500,000 workers to the state’s workforce by 2025 during a speech back in May in Mobile including a website to raise awareness to paths to return to the workforce.