Georgia added 84,200 jobs over the past year. However, the state's unemployment rate of 5.8 percent is still notably higher than the national average (5.1 percent).
The good news is that several major employers are setting up shop, or expanding business in the Peach State, bringing hundreds of jobs to Georgians:
1. Wal-Mart opens Union City distribution center, creates 400 jobs: The world's largest retailer will use the 1.2 million square foot facility in Union City to fill online orders for its all-important e-commerce business. It's the third large-scale distribution center the company has opened in the last three months. [Read more]
2. Home Depot opens new technology center, adds 500 jobs: The center houses 1,000 information technology associates, and there are plans to add another 500 positions in the future. [Read more]
3. Kohl's hiring thousands for the holidays: Kohl's, a department store with multiple locations across metro Atlanta, plans to hire an average of 50 seasonal workers at each store for the upcoming holidays. [Read more]
4. Amazon adding 850 jobs in Atlanta for the holidays: On-line retailer Amazon is hiring 850 part-time workers for seasonal jobs at its East Point warehouse which handles electronic and apparel merchandise. [Read more]
5. Target to hire 70,000 nationally this year: With 103 locations across Georgia, the discount retailer has plans to hire 70,000 workers nationally this year, the same number of hires it added last year. [Read more]
6. Toys R Us to hire 40,000 nationally this year: Toys R Us — which has 25 locations across the state of Georgia — is planning to hire 40,000 seasonal workers nationwide this year. [Read more]
7. Aerospace company moves corporate headquarters to Georgia, adds positions: Wencor Group opened its new 163,000-square-foot corporate headquarters at 416 Dividend Drive in Peachtree City, Ga. [Read more]
8. Lens-maker Alcon to invest $250M, add up to 300 jobs in Atlanta expansion: Atlanta beat out Singapore and Germany for the investment. Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal is expected to announce the economic development project on Thursday. [Read more]
9. Six Flags hiring elves and other Santa helpers: Six Flags Over Georgia begins its searching of elves, singers, dancers and other holiday team members to fill 800 positions for the expanded Holiday in the Park wintertime celebration. [Read more]
10. Trucking company to bring 80 new jobs to Duluth: The company, which operates full-service medium- and heavy-duty truck centers in the Southeast, will create 80 new jobs once open for operation. [Read more]
11. Georgia lands German textile plant, 140 jobs: A Georgia economic development mission to Germany landed something tangible. [Read more]
12. Robins planning to hire 200 new aircraft maintainers: After cutting hundreds of jobs in recent years through voluntary buyouts, the aircraft maintenance area at Robins Air Force Base is hiring again. [Read more]
