How economic developers are benefiting from the interactive Industry Job Tracker

Monitoring the economic impact of COVID-19 and relief programs on local industries is essential during these difficult days. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) produces an incredible amount of metro employment data, but it's not always easy to find or use - until now.

Localintel's interactive Industry Job Tracker is making it easier for economic developers and policy makers to monitor the employment levels of 12 industry sectors across hundreds of US cities. Here's how two economic developers are using the publicly accessible Tracker to generate valuable insights about their local economy.

Adams County, Pennsylvania

Kaycee Kemper, Vice President at the Adams Economic Alliance in Gettysburg PA, is using the Industry Job Tracker to monitor the recovery of her local economy. “We’re a major tourism destination and our leisure and hospitality businesses have been hit hard. Localintel’s Tracker showed that we lost 44% of leisure and hospitality jobs in April, but thankfully saw a 28% increase in May,” Ms Kemper said. 

"we are keeping a close eye on Localintel’s Tracker to monitor employment change as various COVID-19 relief programs wind down"

“According to the Tracker, this improvement was well above average when compared to other locations with a high concentration of leisure and hospitality jobs. However, the recovery is only just beginning so we are keeping a close eye on Localintel’s Tracker to monitor employment change as various COVID-19 relief programs wind down.” Ms Kemper continued. 

City of Cleveland, Ohio

Daniel Kennedy at the City of Cleveland’s Department of Economic Development uses Localintel’s Industry Job Tracker to compare the city’s recovery with other locations.  Mr Kennedy said, “It was reassuring to see job growth for Cleveland’s professional and business services in May was similar to Detroit and better than Cincinnati, Columbus, Pittsburgh and Milwaukee.” 

"The Tracker shows Cleveland’s economic recovery in May was not evenly distributed"

He went on to say, “The Tracker shows Cleveland’s economic recovery in May was not evenly distributed with job growth in the city’s retail sector lagging behind most other large Midwest metro areas.”

The Industry Job tracker is available on Localintel’s website at www.ecdev.org/Insight/job-tracker.

About Localintel

Localintel makes online economic development tools that hundreds of organizations have added to their website to promote their community’s advantages, assist local businesses and monitor trends. Localintel’s customers range from the small city of Brazoria (population 3,112 people) through to Texas Economic Development Corporation, Washington DC Economic Partnership, Indy Chamber, New Orleans Business Alliance and the cities of Seattle, Cleveland, Tulsa and Fort Lauderdale. The company was founded in 2016 and has offices in Seattle, Vancouver and Calgary. Please visit our website at www.ecdev.org.