More than 17,000 Available Jobs in Asheville Area After Pandemic Rebound
Asheville’s Job Market Flourishes Post-Pandemic
Asheville’s 3.1% unemployment rate in February was the lowest in the state as the new national jobs report shows hundreds of thousands of jobs created surpassed experts’ predictions for the United States. Local data shows there are also thousands more jobs than the area had five years ago before the COVID pandemic. The North Carolina Chamber of Commerce reports Western North Carolina has more than 17,000 available jobs.
Employment Opportunities Across Various Sectors
The region has large sectors of industry that have vacancies much like industries nationally. From HCA-owned Mission Hospital to the Pratt and Whitney jet engine parts plant, there are thousands of available jobs in the area. “Both GE and Pratt and Whitney are literally hiring hundreds of new employees this year alone,” said Clark Duncan, executive director of the Asheville Buncombe County Economic Development Coalition. “We have two job openings for every unemployed person seeking a job today.”
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Last December, figures showed the region had 209,000 jobs compared to 198,000 before the pandemic in 2019. There are more than a thousand jobs available at Ingles grocery chain, and local job postings show hundreds of vacancies for registered nurses and in retail sales, plus openings for pharmacy techs and general and operational managers. “Manufacturing is one of the higher paying sectors across all the industries in the Asheville metro area,” Duncan said.
The challenge, job experts said, remains lower wages in the mountains compared to state averages and expensive housing.
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In terms of Asheville’s tourism industry, the summer will show whether it can rebound from a flat 2023. “Right now, we have about 14 people here,” said Charlie Hodge, the owner of Sovereign Remedies bar and restaurant. Five years ago, he staffed at more than double that amount, but he said he’s feeling comfortable with his staffing. “Now, we’re open for brunch, we’re open until 2 a.m. We have been hiring in that instance,” Hodge said.
Hodge has been able to expand into brunch on weekends because of more business. The manager of the Hotel Arras around the corner said hiring has been good, and of a staff of more than 100, there are only about 10 open positions, including for three valets and a front desk clerk. Seasonal tourism businesses like the Adventure Center of Asheville are also hiring.
“We do struggle, especially this time of year with spring break demand, but seasonal employees are not in the mix yet,” said Jeff Greiner, owner of the Adventure Center. “We have about 15 year-round employees and up to 40 during the season. We’ve been fortunate over the years to hire exceptional part-time and full-time team members. We are definitely still interviewing, looking, hiring, and training.”
WNC Career Expo – An Opportunity to Connect Job Seekers with Employers
More than 100 companies will be looking to hire job seekers during the WNC Career Expo on April 17 at the Ag Center. With the abundance of available jobs in the Asheville area, this event presents a great opportunity for both employers and job seekers to connect and explore potential career opportunities.