One of the most significant advantages Utah offers employers is the quality and growth of its work force. The unemployment rate in Salt Lake County for May 2011 is 7.3% compared to a national rate of 9.1%. Utah employment change grew an estimated 1.5 percent from May 2010 to May 2011.
Economic growth in Utah is expected to be positive in 2011. Employment is forecast to increase 1.4% for the year as a whole. Construction employment is also forecast to increase during the year.
Utah' s workforce is one of the most multilingual in the nation. According to the Governor's Office of Economic Development, more than 50 languages are taught at Utah universities, more than 130 languages are spoken in the state and many Utahans have lived and worked abroad.
In Utah, employers benefit from a strong work ethic and well-educated workforce. Utah is 7th in the nation in percentage of adults who have completed high school. The state also boasts a high literacy rate. The technology savvy of Utah 's workforce is evident in the fact that the state ranks second in the nation for the percentage of households with computers.
Utah has the youngest labor force of any state, and its workers are among the healthiest. The US Census Bureau recently announced that Utah is still the youngest state in the nation. The United Health Foundation ranks Utah second nationally in overall health. The state has the lowest death rate for cancer, and second lowest rate for preventable hospitalizations. Major employers often note the low absenteeism of their Utah workforce.
Furthermore, due to Utah 's high birth rate, employers also benefit from a labor supply that will continue to grow at more than twice the national average rate. Utah is one of only a few states in the country with a growing indigenous labor force.
Utah is one of 21 states with a right-to-work law. Under the Utah provision, no individual seeking or holding a job in the state may be forced to join or pay dues to a labor union. Union membership is low in Utah , with 6% of manufacturing employees affiliating with unions compared to a national average of 12 percent.
Sources: UTAH’S EMPLOYMENT SUMMARY: MARCH 2010s; Governor's Economic Summary, June 2011; Utah Facts
