The Florida Chamber of Commerce released its Florida Scorecard, estimating that about 200,000 new jobs could be added to the rolls during 2013, bringing Florida’s post-recession recovery more quickly than anticipated.
Florida has lost about half a million jobs during and following the 2007 Great Recession, but gains show reason for optimism. During the first three months of 2013, Florida employers added about 55,000 new jobs to the economy, about double the rate from the previous quarter. Further, in March, the state’s unemployment rate dropped to a post-recession low of 7.5 percent which is the first time in this same time period that Florida’s rate fell below the national average. Florida is also expected to outperform the national trend in the year ahead.
The Chamber gauged job estimates by evaluating at a combination of factors such as housing metrics, manufacturing delivery times, and consumer confidence.
Indeed, Florida’s consumer confidence index increased four percent in April while the national index fell two points. Florida’s CCI shows a nearly eight percent increase from a low of 73 in February, and a 10 point increase from when Gov. Scott was elected in 2010.
“Florida’s employment picture looks much brighter in 2013 as employers are likely to create more jobs when compared to last year,” said Rick Sessa, Research and Policy Manager for the Florida Chamber Foundation. “While federal budget sequestration and job quality will be continuing challenges, the recovery is likely to feel more robust for job seekers in the year ahead.”
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