WORKFORCE UTAH IS AMONG THE NATION’S LEADERS IN JOB GROWTH. The state’s 2005 employment growth of 3.5 percent was among the highest in the U.S. and was nearly double the national average. One of the greatest advantages for employers in Utah is the quality of the state’s growing workforce. Utah’s workforce is one of the healthiest and most educated in the nation. CEOs of major companies that have relocated operations to Utah during the past several years report an increase in productivity of 15 to 30 percent, due to the work ethic and good health of the state’s populace. According to the United Health Foundation, Utah ranks fifth nationally in overall health. Utah has the fewest smokers per capita of any state, the lowest number of cancer deaths in the nation, and is the third lowest in the nation for the number of cardiovascular deaths. Utah enjoys a high literacy rate and ranks fourth in the nation in the percentage of students that finish high school. (See the Education profile in this book.) 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 (according to Sourcebook). According to the most recent Progressive Policy Institute state new economy study, Utah was the second best state in the U.S. for ecommerce. Utah’s workforce is one of the most multilingual in the nation. According to the state’s 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 Utahns have lived and worked abroad. Some 80 percent of students at BYU are multilingual. The deep exposure of Utah’s populace to many languages and cultures greatly enhances the readiness and ability of Utah-based companies and divisions to operate in an increasingly global economy.
HIGHLIGHTS
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The U.S. Census Bureau projects that Utah’s labor force will increase at twice the national average between 2003 and 2030. Utah is a right-to-work state, with only 6.2 percent of employees affiliated with unions. Intermountain Health Care is Utah’s largest private employer. Utah ranks second in the nation for the percentage of households with computers. Utah ranks fifth nationally for the overall health of its work force, according to the United Health Foundation. Utah’s unemployment rate for September 2005 was 4.4 percent, compared to the national rate of 5.0 percent.
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UTAH FACTS 2006
