Where are the workers? In Triangle, 37,000 open jobs, only 23,000 candidates

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – Thousands of jobs remain unfilled in the Triangle as the demand for skilled workers surges. And Gov. Roy Cooper as well as the General Assembly are looking at ways to get more people looking to return to the workforce.

According to the latest labor market data from NCWorks Online, there are currently about 0.63 candidates available for every job opening in the Raleigh metropolitan statistical area, as of May 22. That’s 23,194 jobseekers for 37,061 open positions.

The Durham-Chapel Hill MSA is fairing slightly better, with 0.84 candidates per opening—equating to 16,118 candidates and 19,179 jobs.

The state’s jobless rate has fanned to 5% from more than 13% a year ago, yet NC State economist Dr. Mike Walden says problems persist.

“It was disappointing.,” he said of the NC jobless figures for April. “The most watched job number – nonfarm jobs – dropped by 5,800 positions in April.

“The reduction in the unemployment rate was deceptive because it was largely driven by the reduction in the number of people in the labor force – translated – fewer people looking for jobs,” he explained. “So in April we faced the same challenges in the labor market as the nation.”

Where the jobs are: Breaking down who is hiring for what positions across the Triangle

And more pressure on the talent market is coming as companies continue to invest in new plants and facilities while looking for workers.

But the labor challenge isn’t confined to the Triangle. Businesses across the state also are facing challenges in rebuilding their workforces in the wake of the pandemic. Here are two political moves made in Raleigh last week:

Overall, the demand is exceptionally high in healthcare, technical, management, computer science and education fields. Registered nurses, clinical nurse specialists, computer programmers, medical scientists, teacher assistants, retail salespeople and customer service representatives are some of the most advertised positions listed in the Triangle.

Labor market data from NCWorks shows high demand for job candidates in the Raleigh and Durham-Chapel Hill metropolitan statistical areas.

WRAL TechWire is tracking the Triangle’s job trends as the region continues its economic recovery. Our weekly Jobs Report compiles the latest information from the region’s top job boards, offering a breakdown of how many jobs are posted, which companies are hiring and for what positions. We’ve also included upcoming job fairs, student-centric resources and a list of Twitter accounts that track local job openings.