After taking office, Gov. Spencer J. Cox signed Executive Order 2021-4: Moving Jobs to Rural Utah to prioritize and encourage rural hiring. Along with other state agencies, the Department of Workforce Services  has worked diligently to increase the number of job opportunities in rural Utah. Combined, these agencies have had an increase in rural employees of 590 people and a decrease in urban employees of 258. More...

By Gwen Kervin, Regional Economist

The baby boom generation, those born between 1946 and 1964, have been a driving factor in the economic prosperity seen in both the United States and Utah for the last five decades. During this time, this generation has been a strong contingent in labor markets. Their exit will be significant. A dearth of youthful labor to replace them is the driving factor behind the current labor market tightness. While various factors could conspire to keep them in the labor force longer, their ultimate departure will affect certain industries more than others and present opportunities to younger workers seeking to enter the workforce or to move up the promotion scale. More...