Even as state leaders face a demanding budget — and some state agencies and departments face cuts that likely would cut needed and vital services and programs — there are a set of very encouraging numbers.

On Friday, Governor Brian P. Kemp announced record job and employment numbers for the state as 2019’s books were closed. For the previous year, Georgia added over 70,000 jobs and there are now a record number of jobs  — 4.65 million — in the state.

The state’s unemployment rate is also at a record low of 3.2%, lower even than the national rate of 3.5%.

The number of Georgians with a job stands at 4.97 million, a total that is up by almost 47,000 from 2018. 

Also heading downward are the number of unemployment claims. The number of claims in 2019 was down 6 percent from the number filed in 2018. Meanwhile, the job listings on the state Department of Labor’s online job listing service was up by nearly 20,000 from the previous year.

The state’s preliminary November numbers for Thomas and Grady counties show unemployment down to 3.4 percent in Thomas, a drop from 4.1 in November 2018, and Grady’s jobless rate was at 2.8 percent, down from 3.3 in November 2018. County-by-county numbers for December are not yet available.

Our local economy and our workforce numbers also are getting bolstered, with the recent announcements from Walmart and FPL, on top of the opening of Check-Mate’s nearby facility.

Still, at least one trend in the state continues in a very positive direction and we hope the emphasis on workforce development leads to even more jobs and more opportunities for Georgians in the years to come.