Since Arkansas employment has always bucked national trends it should come as no surprise that despite today’s current economic recession, according to the federal Bureau of Department of Labor Statistics, the July 2009 unemployment rate in Arkansas was 7.4% – far below the national average of 9.4%. These numbers suggest that Arkansas has felt less of an impact from the recession than other parts of the United States. Arkansas employment opportunities are available to a labor force of approximately 1,360,000. Recent data indicates that roughly 95,200 of the labor force are currently unemployed.
While such employment data is always subject to error or change, especially given today’s turbulent economy, studies have always shown that Arkansas employment trends tend to march to the beat of a different drummer than the rest of the country. From 1999 through 2005, the labor force in Arkansas grew 8.6%, which was well above the 7.1% national average at the time.
Arkansas unemployment
Arkansas unemployment rate (seasonally adjusted) increased from October 2008 to October 2009 by 2.2% to a rate of 7.6%
[Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics]
Arkansas Employment Opportunities
Arkansas employment opportunities benefit from the presence of several corporate global giants that house their headquarters in the state. Wal-Mart, which by revenue can claim the title of the world’s largest retailer, if not the world’s biggest public corporation, has headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas.
J.B. Hunt Transport Services, the country’s largest publicly owned trucking company, houses its headquarters in Lowell, Arkansas.
Fortune 500 company, Tyson Foods, the world’s biggest processor and marketer of meat products such as beef, pork and chicken, has headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas. Tyson Foods markets their own brands of Boneless Buffalo Wings, Chicken Tenders and Chicken Nuggets, in addition to stocking restaurants across the country, including fast food establishments like KFC, Taco Bell, McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger King, along with retail grocers such as Wal-Mart, Kroger, Costco and IGA.
The Lowell-Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metropolitan area has experienced an economic boom. This area has become one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country, undoubtedly due to these major companies calling the region their home, and contributing to Arkansas employment opportunities.
Factories and manufacturing plants are also contributors to Arkansas employment. In recent years, Arkansas has experienced an influx of new auto parts factories that manufacture parts for international auto plants. The city of Conway is also home to a factory that produces school buses.
Tourism is a major contributor to the state’s economy and a boon to Arkansas employment. Dubbed “The Natural State”, Arkansas is a destination for affordable family trips, romantic getaways, recreational activities like camping, hiking, fishing and hunting, cave exploration, Civil War history sites, annual festivals, and even exploration of the country’s only diamond mine.
Hot Springs, located in Ouachita Mountains, and Eureka Springs, located in the Ozark Mountains, are popular vacation spots for visitors seeking healing and relaxation. These locations are often referred to as “Spa Cities.” Arkansas is also home to many national parks.
So anyone seeking job opportunities in the hospitality field, whether it’s working at restaurants, hotels, national parks, or resorts, will find many Arkansas employment opportunities in their area of interest.
Here is a breakdown of Arkansas employment by trade/industry according to the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics:
Mining and Lodging: 11,500
Construction: 52,200
Manufacturing: 164,400
Trade, Transportation and Utilities: 235,200
Information: 17,000
Financial Activities: 50,100
Professional & Business Services: 114,400
Education & Health Services: 164,200
Leisure & Hospitality: 101,700
Other Services: 43,700
Government: 217,900
Arkansas Employment Resources
There are many resources online that you can visit to find Arkansas employment. The Arkansas Workforce Centers link jobseekers with employers by means of a user friendly and accessible statewide delivery system. The service was designed by employers specifically for employers to locate and train workers, while simultaneously linking jobseekers to new Arkansas employment opportunities. You can view their website at arworks.com. In addition to the website, there are centers throughout the state that jobseekers can visit to obtain up-to-date information on local job openings.
The Arkansas Department of Career Education provides workforce training resources to the state’s youth and adults. Their site can be viewed at http://dwe.arkansas.gov.
There are also a number of Arkansas employment staffing agencies that can be used to find jobs in the region. Examples being turnage-employment.com, laborfinders.com, manpower.com, teamambassador.com and staffmark.com.
Arkansas Living Conditions
Despite its humid and hot weather, Arkansas has an atmosphere best described as laid back and welcoming. The biggest attraction to the state remains the fact that is by far one of the most economical places to live and work in the United States. Everything from the cost of real estate, to the cost of utilities, to the tax structure, ranks well below other parts of the country.
One of the reasons Arkansas employment numbers are so consistent, even in a slumping economy, is the state is welcoming to businesses looking for a home. Arkansas offers businesses low tax responsibilities through various exemptions, incentives, credits and refunds.
Arkansas proudly boasts of its very favorable cost-of-living index. Residents in Arkansas essentially get more bang for their buck since the cost of living is less than other major metropolitan areas in the United States.
For example, according to relocatetoarkansas.com, a paycheck of $50,000 for Arkansas employment is comparable to a salary of $103,750 in Los Angeles, $106,865 in Chicago and $153,524 in Manhattan.
A U.S. Census Bureau study from 2005 through 2007 indicated that the population of Arkansas is comprised of 78.6% Caucasians, 15.6% African Americans, 5.0% Hispanics/Latinos, 7% American Indians, and 1.1% Asian Americans. Catholics, Protestants and Baptists make up most of the state’s religious orientation.
Arkansas Employment
Entrepreneur Magazine gave high ranking to several parts of the state in a national listing of “Entrepreneurial Hot Cities.” This published list was based on the overall growth of businesses and new business formation in the region. Arkansas was also ranked 25th by the magazine for states with the most promising entrepreneurial growth. Arkansas has benefited immensely from continued growth and prosperity. This is just part of the reason why Arkansas employment numbers are seemingly holding steady in comparison to other parts of the nation. More and more people are seeing the state as a location where they can benefit from a low cost of living and enjoy a job market that is ripe with Arkansas employment opportunities.
