Florida’s job growth rate beats nation’s rate for fifth consecutive year

NAPLES, Fla. — Today, Governor Rick Scott announced that Florida businesses created 60,600 private-sector jobs in the first quarter of 2017, bringing the total number of new jobs added since December 2010 to 1,353,000. Florida’s job growth in the first quarter of 2017 outpaced the growth during the same period last year. For the fifth consecutive year, Florida’s annual job growth rate of 3.2 percent is exceeding the nation’s rate of 1.7 percent. Florida’s unemployment rate dropped to 4.8 percent in March, the lowest rate since November 2007. Governor Scott made the announcement at Pelican Wire Company, a small manufacturing business in Naples that has created 30 jobs over the past two years. 

Governor Rick Scott said, “I am proud to announce that Florida businesses have created more than 60,000 jobs in 2017 and our job growth rate has exceeded the nation’s rate for five consecutive years. Florida’s economy is on a roll and now is not the time to let up. Enterprise Florida and VISIT FLORIDA have played a big role in growing our economy and efforts in the Florida House to decimate these jobs programs will severely impact efforts for businesses to create jobs. I urge the Florida Legislature to finalize a budget that fully funds Enterprise Florida and includes $100 million for VISIT FLORIDA to market our state so we can ensure Florida remains the best place for businesses and families to succeed.”

The state’s labor force is also growing nearly six times faster than the national rate. In the last year, 343,000 people entered Florida’s labor force.

Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, said, “Businesses in Florida continue to grow and create new jobs for families all across our state. This month, we’re celebrating an important milestone in our state’s strong economic recovery, as we mark five years of consistently outperforming the nation in our private-sector job growth. Our continued economic growth would not be possible without the hard work of organizations like Enterprise Florida and VISIT FLORIDA that are fighting for Florida jobs every day.”

Other positive economic indicators include:

• Private-sector industries gaining the most jobs over-the-year were:
• Florida job postings showed 242,579 openings in March 2017.

• In March, Florida’s 24 regional workforce boards reported 26,844 Floridians, including 1,601 veterans, were placed in jobs.

To view the March 2017 employment data visit www.floridajobs.org/labor-market-information/labor-market-information-press-releases/monthly-press-releases.

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