HOW SUMMER HIRING SEASON IS SHAPING UP

Georgia is expecting a robust hiring season for seasonal and temporary jobs as the state gears for summer hiring.

Against the backdrop of strong nationwide jobs numbers, the state continues to see unemployment numbers fall as job opportunities open for both local and out-of-state talent.

In May, Metro Atlanta added 40,000 new jobs, and the numbers are expected to go up as the hospitality and tourism sectors begin hiring.

A Bureau and Labor statistics report shows metro Atlanta has had employment gains each month since 2010, with the trade, transportation and utilities industries recording the largest gains between April 2017 and April 2018.

“There is really nothing to complain about right now when you look at the jobs numbers in the state, especially in Metro Atlanta,” said Commissioner Mark Butler with the Georgia Department of Labor.

Butler said although the state has grown jobs across all sectors, the tourism and hospitality industries are expected to drive

most jobs during the summer season with hiring for restaurant, hotel and recreational center positions expected to grow.

Pay in these traditional summer jobs is also expected to almost double, according to a new report by the job site Career Builder.

“Employers are becoming more competitive with pay and offering more long-term employment opportunities to summer workers,” said Irina Novoselsky, president and COO of Career Builder.

A survey by Career Builder employers looking to also hire professionals in fields like information technology besides the traditional summer jobs, with most of them willing to offer competitive pay and permanent jobs once the summer season is over.

According to the report, 88 percent of the employers surveyed said they were planning to retain the employees after the summer season.

The employers are targeting high school graduates, college students and retirees.

For jobs requiring specialized skill sets, Butler said the department was working with its partners in the state, including the technical college system, to ensure training opportunities are made available to prospective job seekers.

“If you are a job seeker, this is a good time to be looking,” said Butler.

Unemployment numbers in the state have been steadily going down in the last seven years, falling to 4.3 percent in April 2018 compared to 4.9 percent in the same period last year .

Metro Atlanta’s unemployment numbers have fallen in the past year from 4.4 percent to 3.6 percent.

“What we are seeing right now is new job growth,” he said, adding that the previous years’ numbers were to fill lost jobs during the recession.