AUSTIN, Texas - Texas is outpacing the nation's annual job growth rate by 0.8 percentage points, according to a report released by the Texas Workforce Commission.
By the numbers:
The state added 154,300 non-agricultural jobs over the past year for a growth rate of 1.1%, the TWC said.
Data compiled by the TWC shows professional and business services led industry gains, with 69,400 jobs added over the last 12 months.
The information industry saw the largest decline after losing 8,700 positions over the past year, based on the data.
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Over 15,000 people join Texas labor force
Dig deeper:
The TWC also said 15,800 people joined the Texas labor force in September, bringing the total number of workers in the state to over 15.9 million.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Texas remains at 4.4%, as of last month, according to the TWC.
State leaders chime in on the latest labor market data
What they're saying:
In a news release, TWC Chairman Joe Esparza attributed the job growth across Texas, in part, to programs aimed at enhancing career training.
"The addition of more than 154,000 jobs over the year reflects balanced growth across Texas industries," Esparza said. "Texas continues to outpace the nation because of innovative programs like Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grants, which are equipping students with skills that help businesses compete today and plan for tomorrow."
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced last week that over $20 million in JET grants were awarded to schools across the state. According to the governor’s office, the grants are designed to help schools buy and install equipment for technical education training programs.
The governor also chimed in on the latest labor market data.
"Texas is where opportunity knows no bounds," Abbott said in a news release. "With the best business climate and strongest workforce in America, Texas grows jobs faster than the nation as a whole and wages have risen to an all-time high. Texas truly is the best place to live, work, build a business, and raise a family."
The Source: The information in this article comes from a news release from the Texas Workforce Commission. The TWC also provided labor market data, which is cited in the story. Additional info comes from news releases put out by Gov. Greg Abbott's office.