More jobs have been available for people in Fort Smith and the Arkansas River Valley this year after two years of pandemic lows.
There are plenty of job opportunities available, said Tim Allen, President and CEO of the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce.
A lot of people have retired or not returned to the workforce, Allen said.
“At the end of the day Fort Smith is just like the rest of the country and the rest of Arkansas. We are in different boats but we are in the same storm,” Allen said.
He said he hopes more people with skills return to the workforce. Jobs are open in advanced manufacturing fields and corporate offices. More people are needed in the workforce, he said.
The Fort Smith job outlook mirrors the trend statewide, with low unemployment. However, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported there were more people unemployed in Sebastian County in February than in January. In February there were 1,892 people unemployed compared to 1,100 people unemployed in January 2022.
My statement on February’s unemployment report. pic.twitter.com/4ylCk6UfpT
The Arkansas unemployment rate in February 2022 was 3.1%.
Cases of COVID-19 have been reported on the decline, and business continues to pick up in Fort Smith. Job growth has been reported and unemployment down.
A steady increase in the number of jobs reported statewide has been noted by the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics at the end of 2021. In December 2021 unemployment in Sebastian County was 2.2%
Gov. Asa Hutchinson has reported that Arkansas has been recovering from the pandemic. Personal earnings are also up 10.5%, Hutchinson reported. There was an increase of 4,500 jobs in the entire state in February, Hutchinson reported.
Statewide, there were 42,151 people unemployed in Arkansas in February.
Allen said it is important to build a workforce with opportunities for school children from kindergarten through 12th grade.
Allen said the newly-opened Peak Innovation Center in Fort Smith provides career training opportunities for students in the region. Peak will help grow the workforce for those still in their school years, he said.
Ranked among the top 10 states, Arkansas is a leader in economic recovery from COVID-19. The state has record low unemployment, more jobs than pre-pandemic levels, and personal earnings are up 10.5%. https://t.co/JQ0kud6unT
