According to data from the Georgia Department of Labor, Athens saw an increase in job growth during the month of July. Along with the Classic City, the Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Clarke, Oglethorpe, Oconee, and Madison counties, saw increases in jobs.
State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler says that the increase is a positive trend for the city and that many new employees are heading into the Athens area for work.
“We have 3,300 more jobs in the Athens area, which is very good job growth over the year,” Butler says, “and we’re continuing to see individuals attracted to the labor force here in the Athens area as we do have a lot of job openings.”
Butler credits the growth in part to job listings on employGeorgia.com, a website funded by the state’s labor department to help jobseekers in Georgia find work. In the month of July, according to Butler, over 1,300 jobs were posted on the website.
“But the even better news is that we saw over 700 individuals actually gain employment,” Butler says.
At the end of the day, however, Butler reiterates that job growth is only helpful if there are employees to fill those jobs.
“We can create all the jobs we want to, but if we’re not actually employing those individuals, or they’re not able to get those jobs, we’re not achieving anything.”