Gov. Scott: Tampa Area Added 29,100 New Jobs Over the Year

January 20, 2017

TAMPA, Fla. — Governor Rick Scott announced today that the Tampa area added 29,100 new private-sector jobs in 2016. The Tampa area’s unemployment rate was 4.5 percent in December. Florida businesses created 237,300 private-sector jobs across the state during 2016, bringing the total number of jobs created since December 2010 to 1,262,100 jobs.

Governor Scott said, “Tampa businesses created 29,100 new jobs in 2016 and the area remains first in the state for online job demand and job openings in high-wage STEM occupations. This is great news for Tampa families. We want Florida to become the top destination for business growth and new opportunities, and we will continue to do all we can to help Florida compete in the global economy.”

The industries with the most job growth over the year in the Tampa area were construction with 8,400 new jobs, professional and business services with 6,700 new jobs, trade, transportation and utilities with 4,900 new jobs, and education and health services with 4,500 new jobs. The Tampa area was first among the state metros in job demand in December with 43,632 openings. The Tampa area also remained first in the state in demand for high-skill, high-wage STEM occupations with 14,673 openings in December.

Florida’s statewide unemployment rate was 4.9 percent in December and for the 57th consecutive month, Florida’s annual job growth rate of 3.3 percent is exceeding the nation’s rate of 1.6 percent. More than 30,084 Floridians, including 1,444 veterans, were placed in jobs by CareerSource Tampa Bay and the state’s other 23 regional workforce boards.

To view the December 2016 employment data visit www.floridajobs.org/labor-market-information/labor-market-information-press-releases/monthly-press-releases.