The Houston area shed 7,100 jobs in July, according to numbers released this morning by Workforce Solutions, the region’s workforce development agency. The largest loss of jobs occurred in the Government sector, mostly in the public education field as teachers and support staff entered their seasonal furlough. “Overall, this job report can be seen as positive,” said Workforce Solutions economist Parker Harvey. “Growth in both the Professional & Business Services and Manufacturing sectors set new records in July, which indicates oil and gas-related jobs are coming back as the price of oil rises.”
Professional & Business Services added 7,500 people to the employment rolls, while Durable Goods manufacturing account for most of the job growth in the Manufacturing sector. “The job losses we saw in the Government sector are in line with what we normally expect in July,” Harvey explained, noting that the bulk of these jobs will come back in August and September as the new school year starts.
Fewer people were unemployed in July as well. The not-seasonally-adjusted Unemployment Rate fell more than a half point to 6.8 percent, a further indication that hiring remains strong.
Gulf Coast-area residents needing help finding a new or better job can request a one-on-one professional consultation at their nearest Workforce Solutions career office. Visit www.wrksolutions.com/appointment to find a career counselor in your area.
Additional labor market information including the detailed June report can be found at wrksolutions.com/localstats. The Texas Workforce Commission will release employment data for July on September 18, 2021.
