Tyler is the county seat of Smith County in East Texas (see map to the right). The Unemployment Rate in the summer of 2009 (9.2% end of June '09) was higher than the State Average of 7.5% but still lower than the national average of 9.5%.

The City of Tyler experienced a rate somewhat below 9.2%. At the same time, this rate does not mean that there are no jobs in Tyler or the Greater Tyler Area. The top job listings in the area are shown further below.

The number of Job listings in Tyler City and Smith County have increased steadily since the beginning of 2005 - over 5 years, with marked accelerated uncrease since January 2009 before AARA Stimulus funds were approved by the US Congress and distributed (see graphs and listings below).

Although Texas as a state was slower than some other US States to accept ARRA Stimulus Funding after February, 2009, Tyler and the East Texas region were allocated the following funds to help several groups of unemployed and under-employed individuals:

1. An additional $1.4 Million from the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) to help Dislocated Workers These are laid off and otherwise separated workers that have lost their gainful employment.
2. $904,675 in WIA funds to aide lower- income adults. These dollars are to help in employment and job training as well as related support services to enable individuals families - especially single parent families - to be able to work. "Support services" can mean a menu of items depending on the county involved and can include bus passes, gasline cards, cab vouchers, or other transportation allowances, child care, additional healthcare like eyeglasses, vouchers for work clothing, referrals, and other services. GED and High School education may be a part of this as well.
3. $1.97 Million in WIA funds to provide for economically Disadvantaged Youth. These youth have any of a number of Barriers to Employment within a range that includes loer income status, reading levels below certain grade limits, as well as several others. Employment and Training for Youth often include academic enrichment after school furing th eacademic year, weekend seminars in hand-on sciences, summer training and jobs, youth internships, and several other programs designed to be effective.
4. $421,054 in Wagner-Peyser money for temporary staff at East Texas Workforce Solutions Centers to help with Unemployment claims and another $252,633 from Wagner-Peyser for temp staff to help with usual center services to the increased caseloads of job seekers.

Help with job matching can be found with the Texas Workforce Commission at its neighborhood jobs services centers in Tyler and East Texas. Visit a local website for the TWC at East Texas Workforce Solutions.

1. Physical Therapists
2. Assistant Managers
3. Managers
4. Hospitality Staff
5. Grill and Chill Staff - Dairy Queen, full-time and part-time
6. Solo and Team Truck Drivers
7. General Managers
8. Team Members - Retail and fast food.
9. Store Managers
10. Assistant Store Managers

Additional Jobs with Multiple Listings in Tyler are:

1. Sales Managers
2. Customer Service Representatives

These 12 job titles offer the highest number of current and expected job openings July - August 2009. Number of openings in mid-late July 2009: 1,850+.

Many openings are related to Retail Sales and Store Manager/Asst. Manager positions, Dining and Accomodations, and business transport (Trucking).

Largest employers in the city are;

1. ETMC Tyler Radiology
2. ETMC Regional Healthcare System
3. East Texas Medical Center
4. Trinity Mother Francis
5. Tyler Independent School District
6. Brookshire Grocery Company
7. USMilitary.com and US National Guard

It is interesting that 3 out of 10 projections to 2016 involve Oil, Gas, and Mining, while actual job listings do not reflect such growth in 2009. Oil, Gas, and Mining job listings have declined since 2th Quarter 2008, as found by Indeed.com. Most other jobs in both projections lists above have fluctuated markedly in number of listings from 2005 - 2009.

However, Registered Nurses appear on both projectionslists above, in the Top 10 Fastest Growing Jobs and Top Jobs to Experience Most Openings to 2016. RNs have been in increasing demand, as shown by the graph below, since spring of 2006. After a slight decline in job postings in February '09, a resurgence in new listings occured into summer 2009, with numbers projected to extend through at least 2016 - but likely for several decades.

Retail jobs of all kinds have increased several times since 2005, but markdly since May '09 after ARRA funds were approved during the first quarter fo the year.A healthy Travel 7 Tourism economy boosts this progress, sales being also a part of this sector.

Just 25 miles further east of Tyler, Texas is the City of Kilgore. It was official recognized by the State of Texas as the City of Stars, one reason being the stars mounted and lighted on 60 oil derricks throughout the city during the Christmas Holidays and Hanukkah. Kilgore College specifically focuses on helping to match job seekers with employers in gainful, long-term jobs.

The Kilgore College Workforce Development Program  in East Texas is the top provider of contract workforce services with on-site or off-site training programs at places of businesses, tailored to company needs. Program staff administer pre-employment screening and training, and create new training programs to keep businesses competitive in a nymber of industries. Any size business can avaial themselves of these services. Visit: http://www.kilgore.edu/workforce.asp.