Regional Workforce Development In Alabama — Alabama’s at the top of the regional workforce development rankings for the South. (Nathan Watson / The Bama Buzz)

Great news for Alabama residents and future transplants alike—Alabama is officially ranked as #1 for states in the South Central region for regional workforce development according to Site Selection. Keep reading to see what that means for the state.

A great place to live + work 👏

Uab Campus — UAB was ranked as one of the best large employers in the U.S. (Jacob Blankenship / The Bama Buzz)

So, what exactly does this ranking mean? Site Selection, an international business publication covering economic development, established rankings for each state’s workforce development based on the following criteria:

CNBC’s America’s Top States for Business 2021 Workforce and Education
U.S. News’ 2021 Best States for Education
ACT National Career Readiness Certificates for 2021
Workforce Preparation and Development component of the Council for Community and Economic Research’s State Economic Development Program Expenditures Database
Whether or not the state goes beyond the requirements of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014

With all of this in mind, Alabama ranked as #1 for the South Central region—moving up from the #6 spot in 2020. The ranking isn’t necessarily about the number of jobs. Instead, it focuses on the workforce programs for those who are seeking jobs or recruiting for them.

Why might that be? According to Site Selection, the rise in remote working has given workers the flexibility to live where they want. Places with beautiful outdoor amenities and space are gaining popularity due to this recent change. Adding to the regional workforce development in the South: capital investment from energy and construction companies, leading to new jobs.

Onward + upward for Bama 🚀

Governor Ivey presented the ranking in a State Board of Education meeting.

During this morning’s State Board of Education meeting, I was proud to share that @SiteSelection has rated Alabama as No.1 for states in the south-central region for their 2022 Regional Workforce Development Rankings! Learn more at: https://t.co/fOcJnZuVq4. #alpolitics #aledchat
— Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) January 13, 2022

New developments (and jobs) are constantly making their way to Alabama. Need the rundown on a few to watch out for?

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