Governor Hassan's Statement on May Unemployment Rate

Statement

Governor Maggie Hassan today issued the following statement on the announcement of the May unemployment data, which showed that an additional 1,040 Granite Staters became employed and the labor force grew in May:

"With more than 1,000 additional Granite Staters getting jobs in May and our unemployment rate remaining among the lowest in the nation, the number of employed Granite Staters is at a historic high. While these are encouraging signs of a strong economy, we know that there is more work to do, especially as our innovative businesses are looking for more high-skilled workers now to grow and thrive while unemployment is low.

"In order to support job-creating businesses and expand middle class opportunity, we must continue to focus on building a stronger workforce with the skills and innovative thinking needed for success in the 21st century economy. This is why we have developed our Gateway to Work initiative, which will help us provide more of the workers our businesses need to thrive by strengthening job training, creating new partnerships between community colleges and businesses for apprenticeships, helping remove the barriers that cause too many citizens to fail in the workplace, and helping young people in the Granite State get a leg up on their futures.

"I am hopeful that the Fiscal Committee will approve this important initiative later this month, so that we can get Gateway to Work up and running as soon as possible. Combined with our existing job training programs, leadership in competency-based education and efforts to hold down the cost of higher education, Gateway to Work will help us continue our efforts to build a stronger, more innovative New Hampshire where all of our people have the opportunity to get ahead and stay ahead."

Source