Rural Capital Area Unemployment Drops for Fifth Consecutive Month; Slides to 3.3% in November
Dec 17, 2021
Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area
CEDAR PARK, Texas ⎯ The unadjusted unemployment rate in the Rural Capital Area of Central Texas continued its trend downward for a fifth consecutive month in November 2021, dropping to 3.3 percent, down from 3.5 percent in October, according to figures released today by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). The local economy added 5,549 jobs from October to November, with employment rising by 40,209 jobs year-to-year. The 3.3 percent unemployment rate in the nine-county Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA) represented 19,756 residents seeking jobs. The region’s unemployment rate remained below the Texas (4.5 percent) * and the national (3.9 percent) * rates, which both saw drops in November as well.
Within the WSRCA counties, Blanco recorded the lowest unemployment rate at 2.8 percent in November. Burnet County came in at 3.1 percent. Williamson County was at 3.2 percent, while Hays County was at 3.3 percent. Bastrop County was at 3.6 percent, and Caldwell County was at 3.8 percent, while Fayette and Lee counties both came in at 3.9 percent. Llano County was at 4.4 percent.
Key Points by Industry for the Rural Capital Area, according to the most recent labor market data:
- The Leisure and Hospitality Industry has experienced the greatest quarterly employment growth with an increase of 9.2 percent.
- Job gains were also experienced in the Professional and Business Services Industry (6.8 percent), as well as the Natural Resources and Mining Industry (5.7 percent).
- The Leisure and Hospitality Industry in the Rural Capital Area also experienced the greatest positive annual job growth with an increase of 36.2 percent.
- Significant positive annual job growth was also experienced in Other Services (31.3 percent), and the Financial Activities Industry (13.6 percent).
For a deeper dive into regional unemployment claims by demographics, skills impact, and zip code, please visit WSRCA’s interactive COVID-19 Workforce Impact Report and review the Unemployment Claims Snapshot. To review unemployment claims data at the state level, please visit TWC’s resources.
The WSRCA team is eager to help you find workforce solutions. Visit a Rural Capital Area career center near you to empower your workforce journey. Services are also available virtually to meet your immediate workforce needs. Utilize our Interactive Skill-Based Career Progression Lattices and work with our teams to develop a customized training plan to help enhance your skills and create sustainable career outcomes.
Are you looking for work? The Workforce Wednesdays Virtual Career Expo connects employers and job seekers at weekly online hiring events. Workforce Wednesdays represent a collective effort among Rural Capital Area communities and industries to empower our workforce through virtual interactive events and continue to help the region compete globally.
Employers looking to host free hiring booths and interview sessions should email the WSRCA Business Services Team at businessservices@ruralcapital.net.
There’s no better time to ramp up your skills and marketability for local careers in high-demand industries. Through our partnerships, WSRCA offers more than 20,000 free online courses in various occupations through SkillUp Rural Capital, Metrix Learning, LinkedIn Learning, and the Dynamic Works Institute’s 5-Minute Countdown Series.
Are you looking to earn a recognized industry credential to enhance your current career track? Explore no-cost online training for employees and jobseekers through PATHS For Texas, a statewide initiative to provide industry and nationally-recognized training opportunities to improve employee retention, support career advancement, and promote success for workers in customer-facing industries.
Work in the service industry and in need of child care assistance? The Service Industry Recovery Child Care Program offers 12 months of paid child care tuition scholarships for eligible workers employed in the Arts, Entertainment, Recreation, Accommodation, Food Services, and Retail Trade industries. Learn more and apply today at https://bit.ly/sirchildcare.
We are proud to continue innovating our service offerings to maximize our ability to deliver customized and sustainable outcomes for you. For more information, please visit WSRCA at www.workforcesolutionsrca.com, call toll-free at 1-844-344-2780, and begin your job search on www.workintexas.com.
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.
Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area is a nonprofit community partnership providing no-cost recruitment, employment services, and childcare assistance to businesses, employers, and job seekers in the Rural Capital Area of Central Texas. This nine-county region includes Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays, Lee, Llano, and Williamson counties. For more details on WSRCA and the services it offers, visit www.workforcesolutionsrca.com.
*All unemployment rates listed are not seasonally adjusted.
