Wyoming is thriving, but who will fill jobs?

Cheyenne Wyoming Tribune-Eagle ^ | 05-06-06 | Lowell, Jessica

[Theodore R.]

Wyoming is thriving, but who will fill jobs?

By Jessica Lowell rep5@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle

CHEYENNE - The state's economy is doing well, and with more energy development projects on the horizon, it could do even better.

And as Wyoming's capital city, Cheyenne is poised for more economic success as well.

That's the message that came from Friday's Economic Reports Luncheon, the final scheduled event for the Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce's 2006 Small Business Week.

The biggest threat to continuing economic growth in the county and the state, however, is lack of people to fill jobs.

Both Cheyenne LEADS CEO Randy Bruns and state Department of Employment Director Cynthia Pomeroy said during the panel discussion that the area's low unemployment rate, coupled with the expected increasing demand for workers, could create a problem.

"If you aren't bracing for it, you ought to be," Bruns said. "The workforce is getting tight."

Wal-Mart, which is building a food distribution center west of Cheyenne, will send human resources staff to Cheyenne starting in July. About 500 people are expected to be hired by the end of this year or early next year.

"I fully expect hiring to go on for the next couple of years," he said.

Pomeroy said unemployment poses two very different problems.

"Unemployment brings social problems," she said. "Low unemployment makes it hard to recruit firms."

Wyoming has the second-lowest unemployment rate in the nation, behind only Hawaii, she said.

As low as it is, some county unemployment rates are far lower.

"Sublette County has an unemployment rate of 1.7 percent," she said. "They're going to have to employ deer and antelope."

Sublette County, in western Wyoming, is seeing tremendous growth in oil and gas development now.

Campbell County, in northeast Wyoming, is home to the state's most active coal mines and power plants.

Tom Schroeder, program principal of the state's Industrial Siting Division, said at least 15 more projects are being contemplated in the state. They include power plants in Campbell County, wind projects in Laramie County and elsewhere, and coal refinery projects, including the DKRW plant planned for the area outside Medicine Bow in northern Carbon County.

In Laramie County, the strong economy is what's fueling home sales.

Tony Duckworth, with #1 Properties, said 70 percent of the homes sales in the county are to people who already live here.

"There are a lot of houses on the market," he said, "but there are still a lot of buyers."

[VegasCowboy]

Single women? Um, no. I'm from Wyoming (and proud of it), but it is definitely not a singles' paradise.

As to smoking in bars, yes you can. I've heard that Laramie (home of UW) has put a ban in place, but the rest of the state is way to conservative for such nonsense.

If you like wide open spaces, beautiful scenery and participating in outdoor activities (hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, skiing) Wyo is a fantastic place. If night clubs are your thing, it probably isn't for you.