In 2015, positive trends and job growth continued for Southeast Texas as for the entire state of Texas. The unemployment for Jefferson, Hardin and Orange counties continued to remain at the lowest rates in our WDA's history. We look forward to increased hiring activity for the projects such as Golden Pass LNG, ExxonMobil, Natgasoline, just to name a few, also creating employment opportunities in retail, hospitality, financial services, and healthcare in our region.

The federal approval of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) brought renewal to the workforce development system with enhanced guidelines to assist employers gain access to a trained, skilled workforce. WIOA extends the focus on the needs of local economies and continues to ensure coordination, planning, and oversight of service delivery through workforce Boards. Southeast Texas continues to implement the new WIOA guidelines which includes workforce center staff development and training as a crucial strategy to continue to meet the needs of local employers and jobs seekers.

> READ MORE