Rural Capital Area Unemployment Rate Slides to 2.6% in April as Hiring Surge Continues
May 20, 2022
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 second consecutive month in April 2022, dropping to 2.6 percent, down from 2.8 percent in March, according to figures released today by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). The 2.6 percent unemployment rate in the nine-county Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA) represented 16,055 residents seeking employment, with more than 38,114 open jobs across all industries.* The region’s unemployment rate remained below the Texas (3.7 percent)** and national (3.3 percent)** rates, fueled by an employment recovery of 35,897 jobs added across the region since April 2021.
All counties within the Rural Capital Area region saw unemployment rate declines in April. Blanco recorded the lowest unemployment rate at 2.4 percent (down from 2.5 percent), followed by Burnet and Williamson counties at 2.5 percent (both down from 2.7 percent). Hays County dropped to 2.6 percent from the 2.8 percent recorded in March, while Bastrop was at 2.9 percent, after sliding down from 3.1 percent. Fayette and Lee counties came in at 3.0 percent (down from 3.1 percent and 3.2 percent, respectively). Caldwell County recorded a rate of 3.1 percent (down from 3.2 percent), while Llano County’s unemployment fell to 3.4 percent in April, after posting a rate of 3.6 percent in March.
Historically, for every dollar invested by WSRCA in workforce development programs, there is a return of $2.91 put back into the communities of the nine-county region from wages. For every dollar invested in early learning child care scholarships, there is a return of $1.19 put back into the local communities from job retention and additional earnings.
Key Points by Industry for the Rural Capital Area, according to the most recent labor market data:
- The Information Services Industry has experienced the greatest quarterly employment growth with an increase of 5.5 percent.
- Job gains were also experienced in the Education and Health Services Industry (5.4 percent), as well as the Trade, Transportation and Utilities Industry (5.0 percent).
- The Information Services Industry in the Rural Capital Area experienced the greatest positive annual job growth with an increase of 17.6 percent.
- Significant positive annual job growth was also experienced in Leisure and Hospitality (12.6 percent), and the Professional and Business Services Industry (12.0 percent).
For a deeper dive into regional unemployment claims by demographics, skills impact, and zip code, 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.
Central Texans throughout the Rural Capital Area also have a new way to connect with customized workforce solutions from the convenience of their smartphones. The WSRCA Mobile App is a first of its kind in Central Texas, and seamlessly links Workforce Solutions customers with no-cost services for job seekers, employers, and families seeking early-learning child care assistance. The application’s rich feature set offers residents an all-in-one platform to engage with workforce center staff, explore upskilling tools, review workshop calendars, register for weekly hiring events, and apply for immediate jobs on WorkinTexas. Additional resources include access to Jobs Now Employer Spotlights, and WSRCA Customer Testimonials, with new value-driven content added to the application regularly. Anyone can download the easy-to-use application for free through the iOS App Store and the Google Play Marketplace.
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.
*Source: JobsEQ® - Online job postings across nine counties active from 4/01/2022 to 5/18/2022
**All unemployment rates listed are not seasonally adjusted.
