A Resilient Workforce in Trying Times
In these tough economic times, Harrison County, Miss. is proving to have a strong, well-prepared workforce and local companies are taking advantage of it, hiring new employees while many businesses across the nation are laying off workers.
Workforce training centers across the Mississippi Gulf Coast are experiencing a growing interest in their services. The WIN Job Center in Gulfport has recently seen an increase in applicants, particularly in computer class enrollment. Jim True of the center noted that people who are already employed are looking to fine-tune their skills. Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College has also seen an increase in enrollment and has even introduced new classes. The Innovation Center in Biloxi is continually adding new seminars and programs to cater to the community.
The preparation and persistency of the workforce is paying off and local businesses are holding on to their greatest assets, or trying to attract more valuable workers. Gulf Coast Laundry Services of Mississippi, LLC, a laundry service catering to the hotel and resort industry, brought all 106 of its workers from contract to salaried-worker status. United States Marine, Inc. has not laid off any employees and is looking to hire more workers in the near future to support incoming contracts. Gulfship, LLC and Trinity Yachts – Gulfport, LLC are also hiring.
The resiliency of the workforce and growth of the industries have resulted in Harrison County experiencing a lower unemployment rate than the rest of Mississippi, and the nation. Preliminary data from the Mississippi Department of Employment Security for March 2009 shows an unemployment level of 7.8% for Harrison County, compared to the national average of 9.0%.
