Human Resources

Arkansans have a strong work ethic and are committed to a job well done. The state has a workforce of well-educated, motivated people who can meet the needs of any business.

Employment and Demographic Trends

Manufacturers and service industries, particularly business and health services, continue to expand, creating more job opportunities for Arkansans.

Manufacturing Employment

Arkansas's diverse industrial base provides an ample supply of experienced manufacturing workers. In 2008, Arkansas's manufacturing sector accounted for 18 percent of the state's jobs, as well as 17.8% of the state's gross state product. Throughout the years the sector has shifted from agriculture-based to light manufacturing to more sophisticated processes and products such as electronics, plastics, transportation equipment, and primary and fabricated metals.

In 2008, the average hourly manufacturing wage in Arkansas was $14.17, or 80% of the national average of $17.74.

Established in Arkansas in 1959, Tyson Foods Inc. is the state's largest manufacturer and a Fortune 500 business. Other top manufacturing companies include Whirlpool, Pilgrim's Pride, ConAgra Inc., Georgia-Pacific Corporation, OK Industries, Cooper Tire and Rubber, and International Paper Company.

Service Sector Employment

Services now account for the largest share of Arkansas's employment (36%) as well as Arkansas's gross state product (18.9%); supplanting manufacturing as the largest component in Arkansas. Employment in the natural resources mining, health services, and leisure and hospitality sectors has also grown substantially.

Agriculture-Related Employment

Agriculture and agriculture-related biotechnology also play an integral part in Arkansas's economy. The state leads the nation in rice production with 92.9 million cwt harvested in 2007/2008, is the second largest poultry producer with 1.17 billion birds raised and processed in 2007, and is the third largest producer of catfish.

Technology Employment

Arkansas's information technology companies, such as Verizon and Acxiom, are concentrated in Pulaski and Faulkner Counties. Several research centers and biotechnology-related industries - including the Biomedical Biotechnology Center, the Genesis Incubator, the National Center for Toxicological Research, the Dale Bumpers National Rice Germplasm Evaluation and Enhancement, and the Stuttgart Harry K. Dupree Aquaculture Center - are in Pulaski, Washington, Jefferson and Arkansas Counties.

Because the state has experienced steady growth in technology employment, several Arkansas universities have developed new degree programs that provide skilled workers for these emerging industries. For instance, recently instituted degree programs include Systems Engineering and Information Sciences, Crop Biotechnology, Biomedical Engineering, Cell and Molecular Biology, and Molecular Biotechnology programs.

Arkansas Laws Affecting Labor

Various laws make Arkansas a great place to work and a great place for employers.

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Workforce Potential

Even though Arkansas's unemployment rate has usually been below the national average since October 2001, there is a large group of workers seeking new opportunities. Demographic information indicates that many of these potential workers - college students, retirees, and second income workers - are the underemployed employees sought by office-sector businesses.

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Recruiting

When the Arkansas Economic Development Commission asked company executives, community and educational leaders and local economic developers about the major issues they faced, recruitment and retention of a qualified workforce were of upmost importance.