The Alabama Department of Labor has reported that the state's labor force participation rate in December reached 57.2%. Fitzgerald Washington, the Secretary of the Alabama Department of Labor, discussed those numbers.

An organization dedicated to putting more women in Alabama's workforce and expanding their job opportunities is set to begin what it has labeled a strategic fundraising campaign. The Women's Foundation of Alabama announced this week that it is launching its newest fundraiser, the Watershed Campaign, with a goal of raising $7.5 million and moving 10,000 women into the workforce.

The multidisciplinary workforce develop program will spark social and economic change in rural communities by investing people and industries.

In 2010, when Republicans gained a majority in the Alabama Legislature after 135 years of Democratic control, they inherited all the legacy problems facing the state, including high joblessness, low household income, and high rates of poverty. In large measure, the GOP solution was economic development. The state reformed and increased its economic incentives package […]

The Alabama Robotics Technology Park in Decatur, Alabama is set to be the home of a new $30 million training center with a focus on electric vehicles and emerging technologies within the auto industry. The Alabama Department of Commerce announced the news Monday.

A team of students from the University of Alabama will compete in a premier national competition to design, build, test and integrate an advanced battery pack into a commercial electric vehicle. UA is one of 12 North American universities selected for the Battery Workforce Challenge collegiate competition. It is managed by Argonne National Laboratory for […]

WASHINGTON — Build Up Birmingham is the winner of the 2023 Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge. The unique workforce development high school combines academics with paid construction and real estate internships with opportunities for students to become homeowners and build generational wealth. Build Up Birmingham competed in the Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge, sponsored by The Wells Fargo […]

In good news for plant employees, Hyundai Motors has announced that it is instituting a new, more competitive wage structure for workers at its Montgomery Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA) plant.

Two notable state organizations have announced that they have banded together to begin a new initiative that both hope will draw additional biotech firms into Alabama and also help to expand the already existing start up companies in the state.

The Alabama Community College System (ACCS) marked a major milestone in its mission to prepare Alabamians of all ages for the workforce with real skills, real training and real credentials. This week, ACCS opened the doors to the Innovation Center headquarters in Decatur on the heels of the announcement they’ve enrolled 7,700 Alabamians in the […]

As employment and workforce metrics are receiving renewed focus from state, legislative, education and business leaders, Alabama stands ready to become the workforce engine of the Southeast, Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth says. His Commission on 21st Century Workforce, established in 2019, met Wednesday to zero in on enhancing workforce competitiveness and tackling Alabama’s below-average labor […]

A panel of workforce development experts told the Alabama pro-growth policy conference the state will benefit from more collaboration to close real-world gaps in the pipeline to get jobs filled – and keep them filled.  Alabama’s labor force participation rate has been a priority topic for many state leaders as they see the numbers and […]

Students interested in the automotive manufacturing industry who are currently enrolled within the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) can now be awarded a new scholarship worth $4,000 dollars.

The seventh-annual Worlds of Work (WOW) Career Expo will bring industry leaders and education partners together with more than 4,000 students from west Alabama to Shelton State Community College this week. “We’re giving students the opportunity to see the careers the West Alabama region has to offer. WOW can change a student’s career pathway for the […]

The Huntsville/Madison County Chamber announced a new, revamped portion of ASmartPlace.com: Smart Careers. The portal can help job seekers to pursue career paths in four targeted industries: Advanced manufacturing, information technology, construction, and healthcare.   ASmartPlace is encouraging opportunities in industries that provide long-term career pathways and require two years of education and training or less […]

Close to two hundred members of the United Auto Workers union ,who are employed at ZF Chassis Systems in Tuscaloosa, have gone on strike as of Wednesday morning. The business is a major producer of front axels for the Mercedes-Benz plant in Vance.

Radiance Technologies has collaborated with the Army Partnership for Your Success (PaYS) Program, offering Army veterans a seamless transition into employment with the company. Huntsville-based Radiance is the first company in Alabama to partner with the Alabama Army National Guard through the PaYS program. The PaYS Program is a strategic alliance between the Army and corporations, companies, […]

Alabama’s historic move to allow nursing apprenticeships through Alabama’s community and technical colleges is helping combat nursing shortages across the state. Since new rules passed last year allowing Alabama healthcare employers to enter into an apprenticeship agreement with nursing programs in the Alabama Community College System, an estimated 400 nursing apprentices across 17 colleges have served […]

Sylacauga native Margaret Morton led the Welcome to EARTH event in Talladega County celebrating EARTH’s progress and strides in support.

During the 2023 session, the Alabama Legislature passed a series of bills designed to strengthen Alabama’s economy, reduce the tax burden on small businesses and individuals, and encourage more Alabamians to enter the workforce. The “Game Plan,” a four-bill package that will supercharge our ability to recruit, retain, and expand those industries in Alabama, passed […]

Senator Katie Britt announced today that a $44.5 million investment will be going to her alma mater, the University of Alabama. The new funding is being provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology.

This Labor Day, a pressing question reverberates across the United States: “Where are the workers?” Alabama shares this concern, grappling with just shy of the lowest labor force participation rate in the country. Gov. Kay Ivey rightly emphasized the importance of labor force participation, a sentiment echoed by Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth’s efforts to elevate […]

Job creation tied to international investment in Alabama has been rapidly outpacing the state’s general employment growth rate, according to a report that tracks the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) across the U.S. The Global Business Alliance analysis says employment in Alabama tied to FDI surged 12% between 2015 and 2020, compared to overall employment growth […]

The construction of a new Smucker's plant in McCalla, Alabama is proceeding as scheduled the company announced this week. The upcoming $1.1 billion dollar facility is expected to produce between 750-800 new jobs and is the largest capital investment by a company in Jefferson County.