The document is a jobs report for August 2019. It provides the following key information: - The unemployment rate remained steady at 3.7% and 130,000 jobs were added in August. - Labor force participation increased to 63.2% and average hourly earnings rose by $0.11. - An expert insight from Joanie Courtney notes that while wages are rising, training opportunities are needed to help workers move into higher paying positions and close the skills gap. Employers who do not offer learning opportunities risk high turnover.

1. JOBS
REPORT
August 2019

2. In This Report
Labor Market Highlights
Job Gains
Unemployment Rates
Expert Insights: Joanie Courtney

3. Labor Market Highlights
Unemployment Rate
Steady at
3.7%
63.2%
Labor Participation
up to
Average hourly
earnings for private
non-farm employees
Up $0.11
6.0 Million
Job Seekers
34.4 Hours
Average Work Week up
0.1 hours to
130,000
Number
of Jobs
Added

4. Unemployment Rate
3.7%
Job Gains:
130,000
Construction
Manufacturing
Natural Resources & Mining
Transportation & Warehousing
Financial Activities
Leisure & Hospitality
Health Care & Social Assistance
Professional & Business Services
36,800
37,000
3,000
15,00014,000
Retail Trade
GOODS-PRODUCING
SECTOR
SERVICE-PROVIDING
SECTOR
5,600
12,000
11,100
Little Change

5. 3.6%
AUGUST 2019
AUGUST 2019
AUGUST 2018
Manufacturing
ConstructionFinancial Activities
3.2%
3.2%
3.4%
AUGUST 2019
AUGUST 2018
AUGUST 2019
AUGUST 2018
AUGUST 2019
AUGUST 2018
Information Services
Professional & Business Services Transportation & Utilities
4.7%
3.5%
3.2%
3.5%
4.2%
3.4%
AUGUST 2018
AUGUST 2019
AUGUST 2018
2.1%
2.7%
Wholesale and Retail Trade
AUGUST 2019
AUGUST 2018
4.1%
4.3%
5.0%AUGUST 2019
AUGUST 2018
Leisure and Hospitality
5.8%
Unemployment Rates

6. Expert
Insights
Featuring Joanie Courtney,
Chief Workforce Analyst and President,
Professional Division, EmployBridge

7. Providing learning opportunities to
bridge the skills gap
Though the August jobs report showed 130,000 jobs created for the month, only 96,000 were in the private sector.
However, there are still over seven million open jobs in the US and employers are having more difficulty than ever
finding qualified talent to fill their jobs. With unemployment reaching new lows and more job opportunities rising,
it’s important to not only provide competitive pay but to also provide learning opportunities to the workforce.
Wages continue to rise - It’s good to see wages continuing to increase this year (with average hourly earnings up
3.2%), but with blue-collar wages still lagging the average living wage, most cannot afford to pay for work-based
training, underscoring the importance of employer-sponsored training/learning programs. There is a need to develop
training, internships and apprenticeships to help workers move into higher paying positions.
In our 2019 Voice of the Blue-Collar Worker Survey, we found that 95% of respondents (18,505 were surveyed) were
willing to invest personal time to learn a new skill. And 69% of those were willing to invest up to five hours per week!
Employers who do not respond to the increasing needs and desires of the blue-collar workforce to earn and learn
more, will continue to run the risk of high turnover. To learn more, visit www.employbridge.com/blue-collar-survey.

8. About EmployBridge
As workforce specialists, EmployBridge provides value-added workforce solutions and job opportunities through focused specialty divisions
including ResourceMFG, ProLogistix, ProDrivers, Select, RemX, Westaff and Remedy Intelligent Staffing. Combining the advantages of
national scale, in-depth local market knowledge, supply-chain-specific expertise, and powerful recruiting and retention tools, EmployBridge
is recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as America’s largest industrial staffing firm. The company puts more than 400,000 temporary
associates to work annually in 48 states through a network of 400+ offices. In 2018, EmployBridge provided more than 159 million work
hours to 12,000 customers, generating more than $3.1 billion in revenue. EmployBridge is also helping close the skills gap in America’s
supply chain by providing free, career-focused skills development to its temporary associates through the firm’s Better WorkLife Academy.
For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.employbridge.com.