Unemployment in the Central West is sitting at a record low of 2.5 per cent, almost three points lower than the state average of 5.4 per cent, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics' latest labour force survey.
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The Central West region, which takes in the major centres of Orange, Bathurst, Lithgow, Mudgee, Dunedoo, Cowra and west to Condobolin and Lake Cargelligo now has the second lowest unemployment rate of all regional NSW areas, just 0.5 percentage points higher than the Riverina region which is sitting at 2.0 per cent.
The survey results show the Central West was at 4.4 percent unemployment in December 2020, but the figure has been falling steadily ever since.
At the same time, the participation rate - the number of people employed or actively seeking employment in the Central West - has been trending upward, reaching an all time high of 68.9 per cent, which is 4.1 points higher than the state average of 64.8 per cent.
Women are driving the higher participation rate. While the male participation rate has remained steady over the past 12 months, the number of women in employment or seeking employment has grown by 2 per cent.
The Central West labour force has grown by 3500, up to 114,300 from 110,800 12 months ago.
Despite the positive employment figures, the National Skills Commission's Internet Vacancy Index reveals the hospitality industry is still trying to fill positions.
Hospitality job advertisements in the region rose by 63 percent in October after falling slightly in September.
The Central Western Daily reported last month that Orange hospitality venues were desperately seeking staff as the festive and holiday season approaches.
Employers are also seeking food preparation assistants - ads for these positions rose by 52 per cent in October, according to the Index.
Other in-demand workers in October were sales assistants (up 18 percent) and cleaners and laundry workers (up 17 per cent).
By volume, the most jobs vacancies in October were for Medical Practitioners and Nurses (180 jobs), Sales Assistants and Salespersons (151 jobs) and Carers and Aides (137 jobs).
Compared to pre-pandemic levels, sales job vacancies have seen the biggest increases in the Central West, more than doubling in the past two years.
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