DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
DAVID Y. IGE
GOVERNOR
LINDA CHU TAKAYAMA
DIRECTOR
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 13, 2016
STATEWIDE EMPLOYMENT FORECASTED TO EXPAND BY 2.9 PERCENT
Construction Industry’s 12.1 Percent Projected Growth Leads Expansion
HONOLULU — The Hawaii State Department of Labor & Industrial Relations (DLIR) today announced the release of its Employment Forecasts for the Short-Term Future – 2017 publication, which forecasts that statewide employment will expand by 2.9 percent, or 20,020 jobs, from the first quarter of 2015 to the first quarter of 2017. All major industries, except for natural resources and mining, will display positive movement, but the construction industry will again lead the economic expansion with the fastest growth rate (12.1 percent), creating 3,880 new jobs.
The department estimates that statewide employment will grow by 2.9 percent from 700,940 in the first quarter of 2015 to 720,960 in the first quarter of 2017, creating 20,020 new jobs. On an annual basis, this 1.4 percent increase equals 10,180 new jobs resulting from growth. About 17,040 job openings are expected to arise due to replacement needs, bringing the total annual projected job openings to 27,220.
“This is certainly good news and confirms that our economy remains strong,” said Gov. David Ige. “We remain focused on diversifying our economy beyond tourism and the military, which is why I am taking a comprehensive, long-term approach to develop an innovation economy that offers the best promise of high-quality, living wage jobs in Hawaii.”
“DLIR is enhancing job skills in the workforce as part of the effort to support diversifying the economy by bringing community stakeholders together in advisory boards in select sectors,” said DLIR Director Linda Chu Takayama. “To remain competitive and productive in the global marketplace, it is crucial to employ a highly skilled workforce and why we have convened workforce advisory boards in agriculture, healthcare and robotics as a start.”
