PONTE VEDRA, FLA. — Today, Governor Rick Scott announced that Florida businesses created nearly 30,000 private-sector jobs in December. Since December 2010, Florida businesses have created 1,497,100 jobs, including nearly 205,000 jobs created in 2017. Florida’s annual job growth rate, which is 2.8 percent, also continues to exceed the nation’s rate, which is 1.6 percent. Governor Scott announced December jobs numbers at the PGA TOUR office in Ponte Vedra. The PGA TOUR has selected Ponte Vedra Beach as the location for its new global headquarters, which will create 300 new jobs for families in St. Johns County. The PGA TOUR currently employs 800 Floridians.

Governor Scott said, “I am proud to announce that Florida businesses concluded 2017 by creating nearly 30,000 new jobs for families across the state in December. Our work to cut taxes, reduce regulation and encourage economic growth has sent a message across the country that Florida is where job creators and families should go to succeed. Florida had a great year of job creation in 2017 and we will fight each day to make sure our state remains the best place for new opportunities in 2018, and for years to come.”

As of December, Florida’s unemployment rate is at 3.7 percent, a drop of 7.0 percentage points since December 2010, faster than the national decline of 5.2 percentage points. In the last year, 185,000 people entered Florida’s labor force, a growth of 1.9 percent, which is nearly four times the national labor force growth rate of only 0.5 percent.

Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, said, “Florida businesses had strong job growth in 2017, creating nearly 205,000 jobs for families throughout the state. It is important to continue to support Governor Scott’s pro-business priorities to ensure our state stays competitive and recruits new businesses.”

Other positive economic indicators include:

• Private-sector industries gaining the most jobs over-the-year were:
• Professional and business services with 47,200 new jobs;
• Construction with 43,900 new jobs;
• Trade, transportation and utilities with 33,600 new jobs;
• Education and health services with 22,300 new jobs; and
• Manufacturing with 16,200 new jobs.
• Florida job postings showed 265,244 openings in December 2017.

• In December, Florida’s 24 regional workforce boards reported 18,828 Floridians, including 1,043 veterans, were placed in jobs.

To view the December 2017 employment data visit www.floridajobs.org/labor-market-information/labor-market-information-press-releases/monthly-press-releases.

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