Grand Rapids Job Market Looks Promising
Job prospects in Grand Rapids-Wyoming metro area are the best they’ve been in three years. In fact, the outlook here may be the most optimistic in the entire nation, according to a third quarter Manpower survery.
Thirty percent of employers say they expecting to add employees this summer; while 6 percent are expected to downsize. Sixty-One percent of employers in the region say nothing will change this summer.
“This is the strongest outlook we’ve seen in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming market in almost three years,” said Melanie Holmes, a vice president at ManpowerGroup. “The market results are considerably more optimistic than last quarter and one year ago. Among our clients, we’ve seen real strength among manufacturing employers as well as a demand for clerical and customer service support.”
The Detroit metro area didn’t fare as well. Its net employment outlook is only 3 percent, the fifth worst forecast for metro areas according to the Manpower survey. That’s down from a net employment outlook of 7 percent in the second quarter.
The last few years have been tough on everybody in West Michigan. Every new job means that someone else is working; supporting their family; paying their bills and that’s good news for all of us.