Labor Force and Unemployment

Occupation and Employment

Civilian Labor Force

2009
Estimate

 2009
Female		 2009
Male		 2014
Projection		 2014
Female		 2014
Male
% Employed 93.9     94.43    
% Unemployed 6.08     5.54    
% in Labor Force 61.06     61.37    
     Employed   40,391 49,931   40,394 50,876
     Unemployed   2,644 3,023   2,308 3,048

Source: Sites on Texas; the Kilgore Labor market commute area consists of all or part of the following counties: Cherokee, Gregg, Harrison, Panola, Rusk, Smith, Upshur and Wood 

A Ready Workforce

 

 The Kilgore region has a number of underemployed workers that can be utilized for new job creation. A study conducted by PFResources indicates that there are approximately 21,000 “underemployed” people in the region. Of these individuals, nearly 30% have some college and 20% have earned college degrees. Sixty-nine percent of those determined underemployed fell in the 18-40-age range.

In a separate study conducted by Dr. Marilyn Young, professor of management in the College of Business and Management at The University of Texas at Tyler, found that with hidden unemployment, the Kilgore area unemployment rate is 16.2%. By including the number of those who are employed but willing to change jobs, the rate grows to 42%.

Available workers listed former occupations that were in transportation and material moving; sales and related; management; installation, maintenance, and repair; and office and administrative support. In addition, employees are willing to commute 24 miles one way to work. 

 

A Skilled Workforce

The area workforce is heavily concentrated in the manufacturing, services, and trade sectors. Manufacturing and the oil and gas sector employment accounts for 20% of all jobs in the labor force. A highly skilled labor force contributes to this area’s high manufacturing base with more than 200 manufacturers in a 40-mile radius. Of the major manufacturing companies in this area, 31% are involved in machinery manufacturing and 24% - fabricated metal products manufacturing.


*Represented by ten or more companies in area

An Educated Workforce

The Kilgore area has an excellent educational system producing quality talent every year. High schools in the Kilgore area labor market graduate 5,000 students annually. Approximately 25% of area graduates move directly into the job market upon graduation. The remaining, often attend one of the many area institutions of higher learning. Fifteen colleges and universities are located within the area and have an average annual enrollment of 40,000--providing an additional resource of qualified applicants.


  1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 Estimate 2014 Projection
Grade K-8 10,778 7,130 8,962 9,306
Grade 9-12 18,981 18,232 12,544 11,153
High School 31,091 35,738 44,340 44,283
Some College               24,690 30,069 30,594 31,987
Associates Degree 8,030 8,333 9,532 9,885
Bachelor's Degree 10,821 13,822 18,121 18,978
Graduate Degree 5,651 6,752 8,179 8,562
No Schooling Completed   1,844    

A Right to Work State

Because Texas is a right-to-work state, employees cannot be forced to join or not to join, nor pay dues to a labor union as a requirement for employment. Texas, one of 21 right-to-work states, has low union membership compared to its neighbors. Kilgore has no union representation among its primary employers, and compared with its neighbors, Texas has a fairly low union representation rate of 6.7%. According to the Department of Labor, Arkansas has a rate of 7.7%, Louisiana has a rate of 10.1%, and Oklahoma 9.4%.

East Texas Workforce Center

The East Texas Workforce Center (ETWC) functions as a one-stop shop designed to meet the needs of its clients. Employers are able to benefit from the ETWC in the following ways:

East Texas Workforce Center Employer Services

  • Online job postings- locally, regionally, nation wide
  • Pre-screening of prospective employees
  • On-site facilities for recruiting, interviewing, hiring
  • On demand classes for training mid-level managers and supervisors
  • Current labor market information
  • Child care services
  • Unemployment Insurance Information
  • Job training programs
  • Alien labor certification program
  • Rapid response services
  • Unemployment Insurance Tax assistance
  • Resolution assistance with labor law and personnel issues
  • Computer training for employer staff
  • Typing test
  • Monthly job fairs
  • Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) assistance
  • Underutilized labor force from Welfare-to-work program
  • Connections to other agencies for assistance