Maine Hits Top 10 List of States Where Employers are Struggling to Hire Workers

The pandemic has really shifted the workforce nationwide and Maine has seen it for itself.

According to the latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary released February 1, 2022 from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 10.9 million job openings with increased openings in accommodation and food services, information, nondurable goods manufacturing, and state and local government education.

A recent report published Thursday from WalletHub.com shows that Maine has been one of the states that have really been affected and that is still having a hard time finding workers.

Wallethub results for Maine

In the statistics accumulated by Wallethub.com, Maine appeared 10th in the nation for 'States Where Employers Are Struggling the Most in Hiring'.

In the last month, Maine has seen a job opening rate of 7.20% in the last month. This figure is higher than the job openings rate for the past year in the State of Maine, seeing a rate of 6.80% for the past 12 months. This 12-month rate puts Maine 20th in the nation in the struggle.

Maine's difficulty with a shrinking workforce

Maine has had difficulty leading up to the pandemic of having a stable workforce, as disclosed on a website to recruit labor called 'Live and Work in Maine': "Maine is facing a demographic challenge – our population is getting older, and we need a strong workforce to ensure employers continue to thrive into the future."

Maine has tried recruiting talent by offering to reimburse student loans for college students who live and work in Maine prior to the pandemic.

Maine is seeing an unemployment rate currently that is above the national average, which is bucking a trend not seen during the pandemic but did see with the recession in the late 2000's.

The Maine Department of Labor’s Competitive Skills Scholarship Program (CSSP) has information out right now that provides funding and support services for eligible Maine residents to pursue two and four-year degree programs or employer-recognized credentials.

A nationwide issue

The pandemic has seen a 'great resignation' take place, people quitting jobs to find new ones in a different industry or to change their lifestyle.

The states seeing the most issues with filling opened jobs according to the Wallethub report includes:

1. Alaska
2. Vermont
3. Wyoming
4. New Hampshire
5. Montana
6. Hawaii
7. Georgia
8. Pennsylvania
9. South Carolina
10. Maine

The states doing relatively well with filling job vacancies during this time include:
51. District of Columbia

50. Washington

49. Delaware

48. New York

47. Kansas

46. Connecticut

For more information about this report, check out '2022's States Where Employers Are Struggling the Most in Hiring' published February 17, 2022 at WalletHub.com.

Job-seekers have the upper hand right now in the workforce. Take a look at the jobs in Maine that are forecasted to do very well this decade if you are one of the many job-seekers here in Maine.