Laredo and South Texas saw a slight decrease in the Unemployment Rate
Melva Castillo
May 24, 2022
LAREDO, TEXAS — The Laredo Metropolitan Statistical Area saw a decrease in the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropping to 4.2 percent in April. That represents a decrease of 0.1 percent from the 4.3 percent reported in March, according to figures released Friday, May 20, by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC).
The three-county Workforce Solutions for South Texas (WSST) area of Jim Hogg, Webb, and Zapata counties reported a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 4.4 percent in April which represents a decrease of 0.1 percent in comparison to March which was at 4.5 percent.
The 4.4 percent unemployment rate in the South Texas area represented 5,371 residents seeking employment in April. The total reported Civilian Labor Force was 123,411, meaning that 118,040 people are employed.
The State of Texas reported a 3.7 percent unemployment rate, while the national unemployment rate was reported at 3.8 percent, according to the report by TWC.
“The unemployment rates for March are getting close to the levels we had prior to the pandemic; however, because of lessons learned our businesses have changed the way they manage human
resources,” said Rogelio Treviño, WSST Executive Director. “The employers we are serving are still indicating frustrations with being able to find skilled employees to meet their workforce needs and that’s because the labor force numbers have not returned to levels we had prior to the pandemic.
“As Workforce boards, we are analyzing and creating theories on how to respond to the pandemic created losses to our labor force,” Trevino said. “The South Texas Workforce development board will continue to assist employers and job seekers match up and filling available jobs and we are exploring innovative ways to partner with both employers and job seekers to fill available and future job openings.”
Essential Jobs reported an increase in employment by industry, such as the Natural Resources and Mining (7.0%), Information (4.5%), Education and Health Services (4.4%), Trade, Transportation and Utilities (3.5%), Manufacturing (1.8%), Other Services (1.5%), Leisure and Hospitality (1.0%), Financial Activities (0.4%).
The Construction, Public Administration, and Professional and Business Services industries reported losses.
Employment estimates released by TWC are produced in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. All estimates are subject to revision. To access this and more
employment data, visit texaslmi.com.
“The South Texas Workforce Development Board is proud of the partnerships it has developed and will continue to partner with local economic development organizations and educational partners to ensure that the skills levels and educational levels of our labor force are at levels necessary to meet the current and future needs of our businesses,” Trevino said. “We highly encourage employers and job seekers to utilize our services and allow us to help them meet their workforce needs.”
Lock-In Evening
Workforce Solutions for South Texas is preparing a Lock-In Evening for young people, ages 16-18 years old. This event will take place on Wednesday, June 1, from 4 pm – 7 pm at 1406 Jacaman Road, Suite A, in Laredo.
The goals to achieve during this event will be to allow scholars to explore different career opportunities, help them to put together their resumes, and help them apply for a job.
Employers who have confirmed their participation are Domino’s, Elite Employment, Pump-N-Shop, and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
We are available
For those looking for a job, we invite them to visit our One-Stop center in Laredo located at 1406 Jacaman Road, Suite A. Customers can also give us a call at 956-794-6500 or send us a text message at (888) 984-4826.
You can also visit our satellite offices located in Hebbronville and Zapata, Texas. Send us a text for more information and to sign-up to receive information about Job Fairs and Hiring Events.
