The Alabama Department of Labor has reported that the state’s labor force participation rate in December reached a record high of 57.2% and wages also increased over a year ago. However, the state’s unemployment rate for December showed a slight uptick as well from November. “As we continue to see growth in our labor force […]

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 the Watershed Campaign, with a goal of raising $7.5 million and moving 10,000 women into the state’s workforce by 2027. […]

Bound by the love of community, EARTH will pave a prosperous path forward for East Alabama. “EARTH will convene people of all ages from Sylacauga and East Alabama to learn, innovate, and incubate in order to get employed or start a business,” says Jeff Lynn, president of Central Alabama Community College and EARTH investment team […]

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. “The auto industry is being confronted by the strong headwinds of disruptive […]

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 […]

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. Beginning in January 2024, the auto giant said it intends to increase hourly wages for production team members at the Montgomery site by 25% over the next four years. “We […]

Two notable state organizations have partnered on an initiative to attract biotech firms into Alabama and also help expand the already-existing start-up companies in the Yellowhammer State. Innovate Alabama has awarded Southern Research close to $3 million in tax credits courtesy of the Innovate Alabama Tax Credit Program, the two organizations announced Tuesday. As a […]

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 […]

Alabama community college students interested in the automotive manufacturing industry can apply for scholarships worth up to $4,000. The new scholarships are made possible through a partnership between the Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association and the Alabama Community College System. Interested high school seniors, residents interested in attending college, and college students with at least a […]

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 200 members of the United Auto Workers union are striking ZF Chassis Systems in Tuscaloosa. The business is a major producer of front axles for the Mercedes-Benz plant in Vance. The workers, who struck Wednesday, are advocating for better healthcare, wages, and an end to a tiered wage system at the Tuscaloosa business. […]

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 […]

“This is the EARTH the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!” Sylacauga native Margaret Morton led the “Welcome to EARTH” event in Talladega County celebrating the program’s progress and strides in support throughout 2023. “Rising from the rubble of the former Avondale Mills, EARTH (East Alabama Rural Innovation and Training […]

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 […]

The University of Alabama will be home to the fastest computing system in the state, thanks to funding from the state and federal governments. Sen. Katie Britt said a $44.5 million investment from the U.S. Department of Commerce will go toward the High Performance Computing and Data Center. The funding is provided by the department’s […]

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 Smucker’s plant in McCalla is proceeding as scheduled, the company announced this week. The upcoming $1.1 billion facility is expected to produce create up to 800 jobs and is the largest capital investment by a company in Jefferson County. “We are currently hiring for a variety of roles, including production, quality […]