TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Gov. Rick Scott today announced that the number of online job openings in Florida reached an all-time high in November with a total of 279,394 openings (seasonally adjusted), according to data released by The Conference Board’s Help Wanted Online.
Also in November, Florida’s consumer sentiment increased to 86, up two points from October and the highest in Florida since March 2007.
Gov. Rick Scott
Governor Scott said, “Florida is positioned to become the global leader in business and we are laser-focused on creating opportunities for Floridians to get jobs and provide for their families. November was another great month for Florida’s growing economy with an all-time high of online job openings and consumer sentiment at the highest level since 2007.
‘In just under four years Florida has added almost 680,000 private sector jobs and our unemployment rate is down to 6.0 percent. We will keep working each day to make sure everyone that wants a job has one.”
November’s online job ads in Florida reached an all-time high in the data series dating back to May 2005. Job demand in Florida increased over the month by 10,941 openings (+4.1 percent) and also increased over the year by 15,435 openings (+5.8 percent).
Major occupational groups with the most online ads in November were sales and related occupations, healthcare practitioners and technical occupations, office and administrative support occupations, and computer and mathematical occupations. Online job demand was highest in the large metro cities, led by Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, and Fort Lauderdale.
Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Executive Director Jesse Panuccio said, “Job demand and consumer sentiment are now at their highest since the current economic recovery began. The positive indicators reflect an improving economy and show that sound policy makes a difference. Florida’s economy is on the right track.”
The consumer sentiment and online job demand are important economic indicators that provide more optimism about Florida’s improving economic climate. Along with the unemployment rate dropping to 6.0 percent in October and private-sector job creation up to 679,000 since December 2010, it is clear that the state’s opportunity economy is continuing to thrive and grow.
The Florida Consumer Sentiment Index is calculated by the Bureau of Economic and Business Research at the University of Florida and measures five key indicators of consumers’ feelings about the economy.
Indicators include one’s personal financial situation compared to a year ago, personal financial situation expected one year from now, expected national economic conditions over the next year, expected national economic conditions over the next five year, and whether it is a good time to buy major household items.
