Denver is growing! It is not only Denver that is primed for growth, but all of the municipalities that make up the Denver metropolitan area. In January of this year, local mayors met up and decided on some key areas they planned to focus on in 2013.
These ranged from economic development initiatives that can create thousands of jobs and bring in millions of new investment dollars to initiatives designed to retain businesses that have been planning to move away from the Denver area to training and other investment programs for the area’s workers.
However, these initiatives all focus on one thing – further reducing the area’s unemployment rate and getting people back to work.
Job Loss and Gains
Last year was a phenomenal year of job growth for the Denver metro area; 35,000 new jobs were created. This is more job growth than at any time over the last 12 years.
During the last recession, we lost approximately 55,000 jobs. However, due to our diverse economy and the resourcefulness of our business community, we have regained those jobs in 3 short years.
Nonetheless, this area is dynamic. People move here; they love it here; they want to stay here. It is expected that – this year alone – 4 million people will move to the Denver metro area. We are growing, so we cannot simply be content to just get back all the jobs we lost. We need to bring in more jobs because people are still moving here, and they need jobs.
This year brings a focus on employment. Job growth and development is sweeping through our area, affecting multiple sectors. As companies’ move into the area and hiring announcements are made, the positive impact can be felt on other sectors. For example, apartment construction is way up with 12,000 units under construction and another 18,000 in the planning stages.
With the plan being to add 31,000 to 37,000 additional jobs in 2013, the recovery continues. Sectors that are leading the way include:
- Education and health services
- Energy, including wind, solar and other renewable technologies
- Professional and business services
- Construction and housing
- Consumer Goods
Small business employment
Small business is leading the way. The Denver metropolitan area has been ranked the best city to work for a small business. This area boasts nearly 30 businesses with fewer than 250 employees per 1,000 residents, a workforce that’s growing at the second fastest rate in the country.
We are very excited to participate in the amazing growth and development in this vibrant and dynamic state. We are Colorado proud, and we are here to help both employers and job seekers find their best possible match. Contact us today; we are ready to get to work for you.