There was good economic news for Georgia in the last week. Georgia’s unemployment rate dropped in March, the number of jobs in the state increased, and the Port of Savannah set an all-time record.
The state’s unemployment rate dropped from 4.8 percent in February to 4.5 percent for the month of March. The national unemployment average is 6.0 percent. At the same time, jobs in Georgia increased by 21,800 in March, reaching a total of 4,486,000. That number is down 151,000 compared to this same time last year. The job total listed online at the Department of Labor’s EmployGeorgia is showing 223,000 job listings – triple the amount of the 70,000 listings in March of 2020.
“March is yet another month where we have seen job growth throughout the state,” said Labor Commissioner Mark Butler. “EmployGeorgia is showing triple the amount of job listings that we were seeing at the start of pandemic. Georgia has gained a vast majority of the jobs that were lost since March of last year, and we continue to remain strong in economic growth and business development.”
In March, the number of employed Georgians was up 29,854 to reach a total of 4,929,108, and the number of employed was up by 564,000 since April. Georgia’s labor force in March saw an increase of 15,762, reaching a total of 5,161,098.
“Georgia’s economy is firing on all cylinders as a result of our balanced approach in protecting both lives and livelihoods during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “While we still have a ways to go, our unemployment rate has now dropped for eleven straight months and is well below the national average. The Savannah Port is setting records, the Peach State continues to land major economic development projects, and we’re getting more and more Georgians back to work and back to normal. Georgia is open for business!”
Of the over 223,000 jobs currently listed on EmployGeorgia, over half of them advertise annual salaries over $40,000. In many cases, employers are willing to train quality candidates and assist with attainment of additional credentials. The sectors with the most over-the-month job gains included Administrative and Support Services, 3,500, Health Care, 2,400, Local Government, 1,800, Finance and Insurance, 1,700, and Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, 1,700.
In other economic news, the Georgia Ports Authority handled record volume in March, with total tonnage across all terminals increasing by 26.9 percent, or nearly 860,000 tons, to more than 4 million tons. GPA has approved projects to increase annual capacity at the Port of Savannah by 1.4 million twenty-foot equivalent container units.
“Every new container that moves through the Port of Savannah means new jobs for Georgia,” said Kemp. “The port and the entire logistics community continue to serve as an economic engine for Coastal Georgia and the entire state as we accelerate our economic recovery in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. This record-setting month proves that Georgia is open for business!”
Over the coming months, GPA will add container yard space and rail capacity, as well as growing its big ship service capabilities and crane fleet.
