Job Growth Continues Despite Winning Streak Snap 

(HOUSTON) The good, the bad, and the ugly appeared in the monthly jobs report for August, according to figures released Friday by Workforce Solutions–Gulf Coast. This month’s reading for the Professional and Business Services sector shows a dramatic drop of 5800 jobs or 1.1 percent. This breaks the winning streak for the sector that’s lasted 20 consecutive months. The biggest loss came from Administration Support and Waste Management and Remediation down 3400 jobs over the month.

Despite the setback in the Professional and Business Services sector, the August jobs report reflects the normal ebb and flow of Houston’s economy. The MSA Total Nonfarm employment showed a gain of 7400 jobs over the month or 0.2 percent.

The sectors with the biggest gains were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, Education and Health Services, and Construction. “Hurricane Harvey recovery continues for yet another month,” said Workforce Solutions Senior Economist Parker Harvey.

Taking a closer look at the primary driver of gains in the Trade, Transportation, and Utilities sector, Retail Trade and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities were the prime movers. This is evident in continued expansion of Houston’s grocery stores along with warehouses. “Looking at the growth in warehousing jobs, Houston is on route to becoming a distribution hub,” said Harvey.

Overall the Houston economy is now 6500 jobs from its peak growth in December of 2014.

The Houston area’s unemployment rate is still headed in the right direction. It fell slightly from 4.4 percent for July to 4.3 percent, however the rate is still above the state and nation’s unemployment rates which stand at 3.9 percent.

The Texas Workforce Commission will release employment numbers for September 2018 on October 16.

ABOUT WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS:  Workforce Solutions, the public workforce system in the 13-county Houston-Galveston region, helps employers meet human resource needs and area residents build careers so both can better compete in the global economy. Offering placement, career counseling and financial aid services, Workforce Solutions operates multiple community-based career offices to help residents find employment or advance their careers. As part of the statewide Texas Workforce Solutions network, we partner with the Texas Workforce Commission and other workforce boards in the largest job-matching database in the state – WorkInTexas.com.