With the jobless rate in Reno, Sparks and Carson City, Nevada lingering at an average of 11.7 percent, many temporary staffing firms operating in the area say that business is booming - and has been since the beginning of 2012.
According to Northern Nevada Business Weekly, although the unemployment rate remains high in some of the state's largest cities, the demand for temporary staffing may indicate permanent hiring is on the way.
George Fincher, director of business operations in Nevada for leading staffing agency Aerotek, told the media outlet that the number of employees it is working with in Reno is the highest it has ever been. What's more, Fincher added that demand for temporary workers is being seen in several industries, ranging from administrative staffing to companies operating in the mining and metals sector.
Staffing firms have noted a major demand for highly skilled manufacturing positions in the area, which include advanced machining or operating computer systems that precisely cut metals and other materials.
According to the news source, the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation recently released statistics that showed 26,300 people in the Reno-Sparks region actively pursued a job in June, however many of these workers were not qualified for the high-skilled manufacturing jobs.
In addition to hinting at rising employment, Fincher added, the rise in temp hiring could be indicative of broader hiring trends. Employers are increasingly looking to build a flexible workforce that can grow and scale back easily depending on demand, which could further increase the demand for temp workers, while young members of the job force may use staffing agencies to test out a job position before committing to one career, he said.
Nationwide, employment may be growing compared to the last three reports of tepid growth. According to the ADP National Employment Report, which is released prior to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' report, found that nonfarm private businesses added 163,000 jobs in July.
"This increase marks two-and-half years of positive job growth. According to our data, businesses across the country have restored nearly 4 million jobs during this period with an average of 131,000 new positions a month. Although encouraging, we’d like to see continued growth but at more robust and consistent levels," said Carlos Rodriguez, president of ADP.