Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

While the Port Arthur-Beaumont region still has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state, officials are reporting a decrease when compared to this time last year.

According to the Texas Workforce Commission, the immediate region had a 7.4 percent unemployment rate last month, down from a 10.3 percent in Nov. 2020.

“As the unemployment rate continues to fall in Southeast Texas, and our area’s economy rebounds, we are excited to see that Texas is still the premiere place for employers to conduct business with our state winning the Governor’s Cup for the ninth consecutive year,” stated Mary Hammon, Executive Director of Workforce Solutions Southeast Texas.

“We hope this prestigious accolade will attract even more employers to our state that we can build new partnerships with.”

The Governor’s Cup is an award from Site Selection Magazine that identifies states that are top-performers for job creation and capital investment.

Texas was ranked top, TWC said, for reporting 781 projects in 2020.

Monthly increases reported by the department include 900 in trade, transportation and utilities; 3000 in professional and business; 200 in education and health services; 100 in leisure and hospitality; 100 in financial activities; and 100 in “We are excited to return to the in-person version of our Youth Career Expo in 2022,” Hammon said. “This event is extremely important in shaping the workforce of the future, and we couldn’t do it without the support of our business partners.

government.”

Most-recently the Texas Workforce Commission reported an overall 5.2 percent unemployment rate in the state. While at 7.4 percent, the only metro region with a larger number in Texas is McAllen-Edingburg-Mission with a 7.7 percent rate.

The lowest rate is in Amarillo at 3.1 percent.