WYRZ.org 98.9 WYRZ – The Voice of Hendricks County
INDIANAPOLIS (June 17, 2016) – Indiana’s economy continues to grow stronger, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics report released today by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. The state has added 38,300 new jobs over the last year and 147,800 new jobs since January 2013, with employment growing at a rate of 5.9 percent.
“Indiana has established itself as a destination for business, earning recognition as best in the Midwest and top five nationally,” said Victor Smith, Indiana Secretary of Commerce. “Now, we must establish Indiana as a destination for talent in order to fill the jobs we continue to create. That is the goal of Governor Pence’s Indiana Regional Cities Initiative, which has sparked regional collaboration, long-term planning and quality of place project implementation across Indiana in order to retain and attract top talent to the state for generations to come.”
More Hoosiers continue to join the state’s labor force, totaling 111,763 new eligible employees since May 2015 and more than 7,700 in May 2016 alone. The state’s labor force participation rate increased to 65.4 percent in May, which remains above the national rate of 62.6 percent. Indiana’s unemployment dropped to 5.0 percent last month, which is below most neighboring states, and private sector employment remains above the previous employment record from March 2000 for the 11th consecutive month.
