Job growth in construction keeps SWFL unemployment low.

In Southwest Florida, the construction industry continues to create jobs.

According to the most recent FloridaCommerce data, the sector produced more than 4,900 employment in the region this year, primarily in Lee and Collier counties, in July.

Lee added 3,100, while Collier grew 1,600.

Charlotte County added an additional 200 to the total, according to a recent article by Laura Layden of Naples Daily News.

Southwest Florida is comprised of three metropolitan areas, namely Collier, Lee, and Charlotte counties. They gained 14,600 positions overall this year, a 2.8% rise.

Aside from construction, the greatest advances in the trio of counties came from:

Leisure and Hospitality (+3,200).
Government (+2, 200)
Trade, Transport, and Utilities (+2,100)
Education and Health Services (+1,600).

“Other Services” created additional 1,100 jobs. Professionals in this area include hair stylists, auto mechanics, and clergy.

Three industries shed jobs this year:

Financial Activities (-500).
Manufacturing (-200).
Information (-100).
Notably, Lee lost 300 manufacturing jobs, while Collier created 100, mitigating the impact.

In July, Collier County experienced the state’s fastest yearly job increase in leisure and hospitality (+8.3%).

Lee’s construction, government, leisure, and hospitality industries expanded at the same or faster rate as the state average.

Regionally, the unemployment rate continued to rise, reaching 3.9%. This compares to 3.5% a month ago and 3.3% a year ago.

Economists consider a jobless rate of 4% to 5% to be “full employment,” as workers are constantly switching occupations and firms are in flux. Overall, Southwest Florida’s job market remains healthy.

Previously, jobless rates edged up in Southwest Florida with the move to a slower season.

Unemployment rates increase but remain low.

Collier County continued to have the lowest unemployment rate in the five-county region.

Here’s a glance at the rates in July compared to the same month last year, by county:

Charlotte: 4.4%, an increase from 3.9%.
Collier: 3.7%, an increase from 3.3%.
Glades: 5.1% (up from 4.6%)
Hendry: 6.6%, an increase from 5.7%.
Lee: 3.9%, an increase from 3.6%.

Monroe County, which is normally classed as part of South Florida, is now included in the data for Southwest Florida. The latest transition is the result of a restructuring and consolidation of the state’s network of workforce development boards, which operate under the CareerSource brand.

Monroe’s unemployment rate remained the lowest in the state in July, at 2.4%.

Hendry still had the highest.

Statewide, the unemployment rate was 3.8%.

While more firms in the region appeared to take a break from hiring earlier this year, Amy Hanna-Eckenrode, communications director for CareerSource Southwest Florida, says that isn’t the case any longer.

“There are more people working,” she explained. “Employers are starting to show that interest again in filling their talent banks.”

Many businesses in the region are still looking for labor, particularly in the construction industry, she added.

CareerSource Southwest Florida’s recent job fairs in Punta Gorda and Fort Myers received so much interest from employers that there wasn’t enough capacity to accommodate everyone, she explained.

She also mentioned that the event in Punta Gorda last week drew over 100 job seekers.

“That is amazing. “Compared to what we had been receiving,” Hanna-Eckenrode stated.

She said it shows demand from new residents looking for work.

In the six counties, including Monroe, the labor force increased to roughly 721,800 in July, up 4,963 (+0.7%) from the previous year. There were 27,867 unemployed residents.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News