Local

Central Florida Unemployment Rate at 7.8 Percent

ORLANDO, Fla. — The unemployment rate in the Workforce Central Florida region (Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Sumter counties) was 7.8 percent in November 2012, the lowest since December 2008 when it was also 7.8 percent. The region’s jobless rate was down 2.0 percentage points from 9.8 percent a year ago and was slightly lower than the state rate. Out of a labor force of 1,175,817, there were 91,569 unemployed residents in the region.

  • Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford led all metro areas in Florida in over-the-year job gains in mining, logging, and construction and leisure and hospitality. It was one of only two metro areas in the state that gained jobs in mining, logging, and construction. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford also gained the second most nonagricultural jobs over the year, behind only the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro area.
  • The unemployment rates in the Workforce Central Florida region were: 8.4 percent in Lake County, 7.7 percent in Orange County, 7.3 percent in Seminole County, 6.6 percent in Sumter County and 8.8 percent in Osceola County.
  • Nonagricultural employment in the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford metro area (Lake, Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties) was 1,043,500 in November 2012, an increase of 2.1 percent from a year ago. Statewide, employment was up 1.2 percent for the same time period.
  • The metro area gained 21,400 jobs over the year, with most major industries gaining jobs. Leisure and hospitality (+8,900 jobs) gained the most jobs, followed by trade, transportation and utilities (+4,700 jobs); professional and business services (+3,300 jobs); mining, logging, and construction (+2,900 jobs); education and health services (+2,000 jobs); government (+900 jobs); and manufacturing and information (each +100 jobs).
  • The only major industry losing jobs over the year was financial activities (-1,500 jobs). Other services was unchanged in the metro area.
  • The metro area's over-the-year growth rates in leisure and hospitality (+4.3 percent); trade, transportation, and utilities (+2.4 percent); and education and health services (+1.6 percent) were stronger than the statewide growth rates in these industries. Mining, logging, and construction; information; and government were up over the year in the metro area but lost jobs statewide.
Resources for Job Seekers

Employ Florida Marketplace

Browse thousands of jobs throughout Florida or in the Central Florida region in the statewide online job bank, Employ Florida Marketplace, Florida's official online portal for job-matching services. www.EmployFlorida.com

Job Seeker Services

WORKFORCE CENTRAL FLORIDA offers no-cost employment and training services to residents of Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake and Sumter counties such as one-on-one appointments, job fairs, job leads, training and financial aid, career workshops and career counseling.  For a complete list of services and more information, visitwww.WorkforceCentralFlorida.com/job-seeker/job-seeker-services.

Resources for Employers

Employ Florida Marketplace

Post a job or search for a candidate in the statewide online job bank, Employ Florida Marketplace, Florida's official online portal for job-matching services. www.EmployFlorida.com

Employer Services

WORKFORCE CENTRAL FLORIDA offers no-cost innovative solutions to assist Central Florida businesses with recruiting, employee retention and training such as hiring events, interns, financial assistance for employee training, a Lending Library of human resource and training materials and a Mobile Unit that can be used for screening, testing and training.  For more information, visitwww.WorkforceCentralFlorida.com/employer/employer-services.

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