(KTEN) — Even as Texas and Oklahoma set record highs for employment rates, there are still plenty of “now hiring” signs posted.
More and more jobs are being created because companies are expanding with the fast-growing economy. This leaves more jobs than people to fill them.
“Instead of the ‘great resignation,’ we are hearing the ‘great re-shuffle,'” said Workforce Solutions Texoma executive director Janie Bates.
People who are in lower-paying jobs — like those in the service industry — are moving into positions that offer a more stable environment.
“They are going to those jobs that offer good pay, good benefits, and long-term stability,” Bates said.
Gov. Greg Abbott said Texas employers added 50,000 jobs over the past month, leaving Texas at with 5 percent unemployment rate.
“Our economy is so good,” Bates said. “It’s one of the fastest-growing economies in the world… has been for many many years.”
Gov. Kevin Stitt said Oklahoma has the nation’s third-lowest unemployment figure at 3.2 percent.
“We didn’t shut down for the pandemic,” said state Sen. David Bullard (R-District 6). “Especially here in Oklahoma, we stayed open and didn’t destroy our small businesses.”
Texoma has seen a surge in the number of people with jobs.
“In the month of November, we have about 2,800 more people working than we did the year before,” Bates said.
With so many people employed, why are there still so many jobs to fill?
“That new marijuana industry is taking up a lot of the labor that we used to have available for other things,” Bullard said.
With the economy continuing to grow, that means businesses are, too.
“Everyone wants to expand their business, because if you’re in the business to make money, if you expand, then you have more product to sell, so that’s why everybody wants to expand,” Bates said.
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