Local employment conditions appear to be holding up better than expected given federal-government cutbacks and their ripple effects across the broader economy.
“Is the situation as dire as we were thinking? Right now, I don’t think so,” said David Remick, executive director of the Alexandria-Arlington Regional Workforce Council.
Virginia is experiencing a boom in skilled trades interest, with the state on track to receive more than 14,000 new contractor and tradesman license applications this year.
The projected number represents a 10% increase from 2024 and nearly double the application volume from a decade ago, according to new data from the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation.
Hundreds more Arlington County residents began seeking work in March as federal layoffs continue to drive a region-wide surge in unemployment, new data shows.
A total of 4,929 Arlington residents were counted as without jobs and seeking work in March, the Virginia Employment Commission reported yesterday (Tuesday). That’s up 16% from the 4,249 recorded in February, and up a hefty 60% from 3,116 in March 2024.
Unemployment claims in Northern Virginia rose 7.1% between January and February, new data shows — offering a first glimpse of the impacts of mass federal layoffs.
A total of 53,394 people in the region were counted as unemployed and looking for work in February as sweeping job cuts began going into effect.
Add hotel-occupancy rates to the Arlington County government’s growing list of economic concerns.
Projections for the next 60 days suggest Arlington’s hotel-room usage will be down 15% from a year before and expected hotel revenue down 12%.
Obtaining real-time data on the impacts of federal downsizing continues to pose a challenge for groups across the D.C. area.
The Northern Virginia Regional Commission has added a section tracking initial unemployment claims on its website. The most recent data as of March 16 show that statewide initial unemployment claims rose from 2,881 the week ending March 1 to 4,036 the week ending March 8.
Federal-government employees irked at the prospect of being forced back into the office five days a week might want to check out job opportunities with the Arlington County government.
Arlington continues to offer a relatively flexible work-from-home policy, and would be happy to talk with those who might wish to avail themselves of it, the county’s top staffer said.
A Wakefield High School alum is raising awareness about free programs to help disadvantaged students launch careers in high-demand fields.
Deontae Murphy, a 2011 Wakefield graduate who now works for Amazon Web Services, spent three days last week speaking to more than 100 Arlington students in small group sessions. Mostly speaking to those in underrepresented groups, he shared details about free training programs, certifications and tuition assistance that can lower the cost of higher education and open doors to tech careers.
A local nonprofit has formed a new partnership to help reduce military spouse unemployment.
The American Armed Forces Mutual Aid Association (AAFMAA), a nonprofit military financial solutions provider headquartered at Arlington’s Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, is collaborating with the Department of Defense’s Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP) to bring the military spouse unemployment rate down by connecting spouses with one of the 700 MSEP employers.
The D.C. area has surpassed the Bay Area in AI-related job postings, according to a recent report.
These new jobs are a clear sign of how the emerging technology is already impacting Arlington and its neighbors, per a Tuesday report by the real estate company JLL.
(Updated 7:10 p.m.) The Arlington County Police Department is pouring more time and people into recruiting officers in an effort to outpace attrition.
For the past four years the number of “functional staff” at ACPD has been in decline. That includes sworn officers and higher-up positions but excludes those on light duty for medical reasons as well as those in training.
Last Thursday, the Arlington School Board promoted two veteran secondary school principals to new positions.
Wakefield High School Principal Chris Willmore will become Director of Secondary Education while Gunston Middle School Principal Lori Wiggins will lead Arlington Community High School.
