Pinellas Unemployment Rate Drops to 3.9% - 465,473 Employed
In May 2016, Pinellas County set another new record for total employment in the community: 465,473 employed. That's 82,476 more people with jobs than at the trough of the Great Recession in December 2009. The unemployment rate has dropped below 4% for the first time since May 2007. The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater MSA had the highest annual job growth compared to all the metro areas in the state in professional and business services (+13,000 jobs); education and health services (+11,100 jobs); and financial activities (+4,700 jobs) in May 2016. Read more. Source: Labor Market Statistics of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
Empower Adventures Opens Zip Line Tour in Pinellas
Congratulations to Empower Adventures Tampa Bay on its June 3rd ribbon cutting! Tampa Bay's only zip line canopy tour showcases beautiful Mobbly Bayou Wilderness Preserve in Oldsmar through five zip lines and a 200-foot suspension bridge. The company plans to expand in August by adding an aerial adventure park.
Visit Empower Adventures Tampa Bay at www.zipontampabay.com. View photos from the ribbon cutting here, and from the zip line tour here.
Construction Management Academy July 19-21 and 26-28
Gain insight into managing and growing a construction business. This six-session seminar will examine the skill sets required of small businesses to handle large projects and learn the potential challenges and solutions to doing business with Duke Energy. Additionally, current and future bid opportunities will be shared. Click here to register today.
2016 Pinellas County Finance Fair Pics
Businesses, borrowers and browsers attended the 2016 Pinellas County Finance Fair. Twenty different Tampa Bay area lenders were available to discuss finance options for growing businesses. Thank you to all of the lenders that attended and to our sponsor, Bank United. Take a peek at the pics.
Help create new strategies to attract foreign investment in Tampa Bay
The Tampa Bay region has been chosen by the Brookings Institution in Washington D.C. to be part of a Global Cities Initiative that will focus on foreign direct investment in the area. The study will help regional partners and economic development organizations create new strategies to attract foreign investment that will grow and diversify the business climate in the Tampa Bay region. As part of this effort, researchers are seeking to interview senior managers in local foreign owned enterprises regarding the specifics of their location decisions. To learn more or participate in the Global Cities Initiative contact Brent Barkway at BBarkway@PinellasCounty.org or (727) 464-7411. Read more about the Global Cities Initiative in the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
Manufacturing Workforce Survey for Employers
CareerSource Tampa Bay with its partners, is conducting a Manufacturing Workforce Analysis Survey to understand local needs for skilled manufacturing employees in the region. This information will be used to address the gap between the supply and demand for manufacturing workers in Tampa Bay. Individual company identities and responses will be kept confidential. Click here to take the Tampa Bay Manufacturing Workforce Analysis Survey.
Does your business have a disaster plan?
It's not too late! The Atlantic Hurricane Season runs June 1 through Nov. 30 and we want all Pinellas businesses to be prepared. You can find a wealth of business-focused preparedness topics at www.pced.org/disaster. The Florida Division of Emergency Management offers a step-by-step guide to build a business emergency plan at http://www.flgetaplan.com/business.aspx. And the Florida Small Business Development Center at Pinellas County Economic Development is available for one-on-one consulting: schedule at an appointment at www.pced.org/entrepreneurs.
The Florida Small Business Development Center at Pinellas County Economic Development hosts a number of business workshops each month. Find a full schedule of upcoming workshops at pced.org/workshops.
