Recruiting and Retaining Talent

There continues to be a workforce shortage in Muskegon County. The challenge remains finding and retaining qualified talent.

Manufacturing, health care and social assistance, and retail trade are currently the top industries advertising online according to West Michigan Works!. The top Muskegon job occupations being advertised online for the month of May were supervisors of retail sales workers, retail salesperson, and registered nurse. There are several resources available to employers in Muskegon County who are struggling with talent recruitment. Click here to visit our business directory, which lists reliable staffing resources.

Road Construction Complete

Road construction along Colby Street in Downtown Whitehall is officially complete, just in time for the peak of tourism season!


The project started in the beginning of April and included resurfacing and widening of Colby and Thompson streets, which run through the business district. 


The White Lake community organized a completion celebration called 'Feet on the Street' which was held on June 25 to celebrate the re-opening of Colby Street. Downtown Whitehall provides a great experience for tourists visiting Muskegon County! You can find more information about this project at http://cityofwhitehall.org/. 

    Cruise Ship Season Underway

    The cruise ship, Pearl Mist, will arrive at the Port of Muskegon, located at Heritage Landing, this Sunday, July 2. 


    The 200-passenger cruise ship has already made 3 stops this year and will make another 7 stops in Muskegon throughout the summer as part of its Great Lakes Tour.


    As a result of several recruitment efforts, the Victory cruise ship will also be making a stop at the Port of Muskegon, September 24. Cruise ship guests are given the entire day to experience Muskegon by visiting local museums, our markets, breweries, restaurants, beaches, and more. Click here to view the complete cruise ship schedule.

    Hackley Park at Full Capacity!

    Thousands of Muskegon residents and visitors enjoyed Taste of Muskegon in Hackley Park Friday, June 16 and Saturday, June 17. This year marked the most successful Taste of Muskegon over its 11 years! Throughout the two-day event, there were an estimated 25,000 people who attended, over $65,000 in revenue generated for 21 local food vendors, and the event even “maxed out” Hackley Park on Friday night.


    The annual event features local restaurants where visitors are able to sample some of the best eateries in Muskegon County. Offerings range from ice cream bars to smoothies, tacos and craft beer. 


    “Taste of Muskegon is Downtown Muskegon Now’s signature event,” said Dave Alexander, DMN Executive Director. “Downtown supporters and event volunteers have created a festival for the Muskegon area that kicks off the summer season. What I love about the Taste vibe is that it brings together all ages, races, walks of life and Muskegon County communities to revel in our good fortune of living, working and playing here.”

     

    As DMN looks toward the 2018 Taste of Muskegon, the small downtown non-profit agency is exploring passing the festival’s baton to another local non-profit which can sustain it much better in the years ahead. DMN would then like to explore assisting new events that would highlight our community’s assets and bring new people into our downtown.

    Employment Numbers

    Labor Force
    January 2016 = 77,900
    January 2017 = 77,200
    February 2016 = 77,200
    February 2017 = 77,300
    March 2016 = 78,900
    March 2017 = 77,200
    April 2016 = 78,900
    April 2017 = 76,600
    May 2016 = 79,900
    May 2017 = 77,100

    Employment
    January 2016 = 74,100
    January 2017 = 69,200
    February 2016 = 73,100
    February 2017 = 72,800
    March 2016 = 74,800
    March 2017 = 72,700
    April 2016 = 72,900
    April 2017 = 73,200
    May 2016 = 76,200
    May 2017 = 73,700
    Employment by Sector  

    Goods Producing 
    January 2016 = 15,800
    January 2017 = 15,100
    February 2016 = 15,600
    February 2017 = 15,300
    March 2016 = 16,100
    March 2017 = 15,500
    April 2016 = 16,200
    April 2017 = 15,900
    May 2016 = 16,500
    May 2017 = 15,800


    Service Providing 
    January 2016 = 47,600
    January 2017 = 46,900
    February 2016 = 47,900
    February 2017 = 47,100
    March 2016 = 47,900
    March 2017 = 47,400
    April 2016 = 48,600
    April 2017 = 47,400
    May 2016 = 49,700
    May 2017 = 48,200

    Home Sales (Muskegon County)

    Homes Sold
    January 2016 = 142
    January 2017 = 168
    February 2016 = 159
    February 2017 = 129
    March 2016 = 208
    March 2017 = 205
    April 2016 = 211
    April 2017 = 191
    May 2016 = 236
    May 2017 = 259

    Average Sale Price
    January 2016 = $112,616
    January 2017 = $121,389
    February 2016 = $116,979
    February 2017 = $111,576
    March 2016 = $113,136
    March 2017 = $141,519
    April 2016 = $110,947
    April 2017 = $137,783
    May 2016 = $134,296
    May 2017 = $146,768
    Michigan Works! Statistics

    Known Jobs Filled 
    January 2016 = 62
    January 2017 = 150
    February 2016 = 39
    February 2017 = 120
    March 2016 = 115
    March 2017 = 175
    April 2016 = 49
    April 2017 = 160
    May 2016 = 37
    May 2017 = 130

    Job Seekers (Unique Visitors)
    January 2016 = 2,062
    January 2017 = 1,682
    February 2016 = 1,539
    February 2017 = 1,495
    March 2016 = 1,601
    March 2017 = 1,454
    April 2016 = 1,440
    April 2017 = 1,351
    May 2016 = 1,726
    May 2017 = 1,538
    Business Counseling

    Appointments
    SCORE & MI-SBDC 
    January 2016 = 57
    January 2017 = 32
    February 2016 = 25
    February 2017 = 17
    March 2016 = 26
    March 2017 = 24
    April 2016 = 58
    April 2017 = 54
    May 2016 = 36
    May 2017 = 42
    Airport Traffic

    Takeoffs & Landings
    January 2016 = 1,234
    January 2017 = 1,026
    February 2016 = 1,356
    February 2017 = 1,749
    March 2016 = 1,889
    March 2017 = 1,671
    April 2016 = 1,968
    April 2017 = 2,182
    May 2016 = 2,728
    May 2017 = 2,877

    Airport Cargo in lbs. 
    January 2016 = 1,241
    January 2017 = 756
    February 2016 = 961
    February 2017 = 840
    March 2016 = 250
    March 2017 = 6,000
    April 2016 = 1,745
    April 2017 = 882
    May 2016 = 1,040
    May 2017 = 13,791

    Commercial Passengers
    January 2016 = 2,467
    January 2017 = 2,133 
    February 2016 = 2,451
    February 2017 = 2,593
    March 2016 = 2,984
    March 2017 = 3,191
    April 2016 = 3,132
    April 2017 = 3,012
    May 2016 = 2,840
    May 2017 = 3,636
    Top Industries Advertised Online Demand

    Industry
    Manufacturing
    April 2016 = 123
    April 2017 = 109
    May 2016 = 74
    May 2017 = 92

    Health Care & Social Assistance
    April 2016 = 160
    April 2017 = 175
    May 2016 = 75
    May 2017 = 165

    Retail Trade
    April 2016 = 87
    April 2017 = 198
    May 2016 = 104
    May 2017 = 273
    Top Muskegon Job Occupations Advertised Online (May 2017)

    Occupation
    Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
    142 New Job Postings

    Retail Salesperson
    122  New Job Postings

    Registered Nurse
    72 New Job Postings

    Truck Driver
    70 New Job Postings 
    Statistics provided by:
    The Department of Energy, Labor, & Economic Growth; Local Municipalities, Michigan Association of Realtors, Muskegon County Airport, Muskegon Area First, Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Small Business Development Center, and West Michigan Works!
    NEW REPORT AVAILABLE

    CLICK HERE to read the latest Economic Development Update Newsletter from Muskegon Area First and Muskegon County.
    A publication of the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce, Employers Association of West Michigan and Muskegon Area First