LAUNCH workshops are available for graduating students, Feb. 26, March 5 and 12 in eastern Idaho

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Feb. 24, 2025
Media Contact: Darlene.Carnopis@labor.idaho.gov

The Idaho Department of Labor is offering workshops in eastern Idaho to graduating students interested in applying to the LAUNCH career education grant program.

The open house workshops will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. at Labor’s Idaho Falls office on Feb. 26, March 5 and March 12. There will also be a workshop held at the Salmon Library on March 12.

The Idaho Falls office is located at 1515 E Lincoln Road and the Salmon Public Library is located at 300 Main St. Continue reading →

Multi-Employer job fair in Boise takes place Feb. 27

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Feb. 20, 2025
Media Contact: Darlene.Carnopis@labor.idaho.gov

A job fair will be held Thursday, Feb. 27, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the State of Idaho Chinden Campus, 11351 W. Chinden Blvd. The job fair will be in the Les Bois Conference Room. This room is located between buildings 3 and 4, and is accessible through the Les Bois Café.

Employers planning to attend include Idaho Bankers Association, Home Instead, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Veterans Services, YMCA, City of Boise, Equus Workforce Solutions, Bogus Basin, Idaho Division of Occupational Licenses, Idaho Transportation Department, Dabella, Personnel Plus, CP Audio and more.

Continue reading →

Gov. Little appoints four new commissioners to Serve Idaho

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Feb. 19, 2025
Media Contact: Emily.Straubhar@labor.idaho.gov

Gov. Brad Little appointed four new commissioners to the Serve Idaho Commission, adding to the existing 20.

“The new commissioners bring a passion for volunteerism and AmeriCorps in their communities,” Program Manager Emily Straubhar said. “We are excited to welcome them to the commission to share their expertise in advancing service across Idaho.”

Continue reading →

Post Falls job fair offers many employment opportunities, Wednesday, Feb. 19

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Feb. 12, 2025
Media Contact: Darlene.Carnopis@labor.idaho.gov

A job fair will be held Wednesday, Feb. 19, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Idaho Department of Labor Post Falls office, 600 N. Thornton St.

Employers planning to attend include Ace Industrial Supply, Environmental Control, Coeur d’Alene Public Schools, Beyond Professionals and more.

A variety of open positions are available to job seekers including janitors, in-home caregivers, registered nurses, financial coaches, bus drivers and others.

Continue reading →

Port of Lewiston 50th anniversary to be highlighted in webinar, Feb. 18

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Feb. 11, 2025
Media Contact: Lisa.Grigg@labor.idaho.gov

Idaho Department of Labor Economist Lisa Grigg will talk at a webinar, Tuesday, Feb. 18 about employment created in north central Idaho by the Port of Lewiston.

Scott Corbitt, general manager of the Port of Lewiston, will be a guest speaker at the webinar to provide an inside perspective on its operations and future vision.

Topics will include historical key milestones for the port, multi-modal transportation options and how the port attracts businesses to create regional job opportunities.

Continue reading →

Idaho’s poverty rate 15th lowest in the country

Idaho’s poverty rate is at 10.6%, ranking 15th lowest among the 50 states, District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s recently released 2019-2023 data. The state has dropped five percentage points from the prior (2014-2018) level of 15.6% improving from its previous 28th rank.

Nationally, the population earning below the poverty level has also declined over the past five years. The nation’s poverty rate is 12.4%, dropping 3.2 percentage points from the previous level of 15.6%. Continue reading →

Idaho’s winter tourism continues to flourish amid affordable housing and wage lag

Winter tourism benefits are for people who regularly visit Idaho’s winter playgrounds and industry stakeholders that collect revenue from the industry. However, the state’s industry has challenges, particularly with people who support the industry on the labor front, including wage disparity, housing costs and the seasonal nature of employment.

Great promise in winter tourism

With the arrival of the 2025 ski and snowboarding season – two of Idaho’s premier ski resorts -Bogus Basin and Sun Valley, are both currently ranked top 10 nationally [1]. Other publications, annually, have more state ski destinations in their esteemed rankings. The state’s reputation for world-class skiing and snowboarding is a draw for stay-and-play winter sports enthusiasts visiting the state’s 18 ski resorts.

Continue reading →

Idaho’s meteorologists earn 14% more than the national median

Every year on February 2, our nation’s esteemed animal meteorologist, Punxsutawney Phil, lets the country know if he predicts an early spring or six more weeks of winter.

Meanwhile, local atmospheric and space scientists (Standard Occupational Classification 19-2021), including meteorologists, weather analysts and forecasters, continue to study and predict Idaho’s weather on a daily and long-term basis. Continue reading →

Around Idaho: Economic activity, January 2025

Map of IdahoInformation provided in these news updates is collected up until the end of January and includes professional sources, news releases, weekly and daily newspapers, television and other media.

Northern Idaho
North central Idaho
Southwestern Idaho
South central Idaho
Southeastern Idaho
Eastern Idaho

NORTHERN IDAHO

Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Kootenai and Shoshone counties

Regional news

  • A joint Spokane-Coeur d’Alene aerospace tech hub has received $48 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce. A consortium made up of more than 50 public and private sector organizations in Spokane and northern Idaho, including labor and workforce organizations, local governments, educational institutions and manufacturers applied for a first round of federal funding for the tech hub. The organizations failed to make the initial list of 12 projects to be funded in the first round. However, the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene tech hub was among the six projects selected for funding in the second round. Source: Journal of Business
  • Despite a relatively snowless and warm winter at lower elevations, significant precipitation in northern Idaho is expected to end the region’s two-year drought. According to the Idaho Department of Water Resources, the mountain snow water equivalent was 135% of normal in the northern Panhandle. After two years of significant drought, the ongoing wet winter is expected to bring an end to drought conditions. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press

Continue reading →

Idaho’s December unemployment rate increases to 3.8%

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Jan. 24, 2025
Media Contact: William.Winkle@labor.idaho.gov or Craig.Shaul@labor.idaho.gov

– Idaho’s seasonally adjusted labor force over one million for first time –

Idaho’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.8% in December, up from 3.7% in November.

The state’s labor force increased by 4,108 people (0.4%) to 1,000,658 while the labor force participation rate — the percentage of people 16 years of age or older who are either employed or looking for work — increased from 63.4% to 63.6% between November and December.

This is the first time Idaho’s seasonally adjusted labor force has had over one million participants in the state’s history. Continue reading →