NEW MEXICO PALES IN COMPARISON TO OTHER STATES WHEN HIT COMES TO HIRING. WE’RE HEARING IN NATIONAL NEWS REPORTS THAT HIRING IS ON THE RISE ACROSS THE U-S. BUT JEFF MITCHELL, DIRECTOR OF UNM’S BUREAU OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC RESEARCH, SAYS HIRING HAS ONLY INCREASED IN THIS STATE BY ONE OR TWO PERCENT. BETTER THAN A YEAR AND A HALF A GO BUT MITCHELL SAYS IT’S NOT GOOD.
HE SAYS NEW MEXICO NEEDS TO DO WHAT OTHER STATE HAVE DONE: INVEST IN KEY INDUSTRIES. FAILURE TO CREATE HIGHER PAYING JOBS IS WHY YOUNGER NEW MEXICANS ARE LEAVING THE STATE ONCE THEY GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE. AND HE SAYS DIVERSIFYING THE ECONOMY DOESN’T MEAN LOSING JOBS THAT ARE ALREADY HERE.
