Mesquite Chamber sponsors EmployNV presentation

By JIM LUKSIC

The Progress

David Schmidt, chief economist of the Nevada Dept. of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) spoke about the labor market of Nevada and Mesquite on Wednesday, May 1, at CasaBlanca Resort & Casino.

He was ultimately joined by a pair of EmployNV figures: Maegan Himalaya, Business Solutions account manager, and Air Force veteran James Hardy, an employment representative for military veterans.

The Mesquite Chamber of Commerce sponsored the event, which got underway in the venue’s ballroom with breakfast.

Foremost, Schmidt asserted, the occasion should be “a conversation” instead of a lecture.
“Part of my goal is to travel around the state,” he said. “In recent years, Nevada has seen the best of times and worst of times.”

Schmidt referenced the 2008 recession, Nevada’s recovery circa 2018-19, before the Covid pandemic – which prompted lockdowns and business restrictions – shut down parts of the state. “Employees were told they couldn’t go to work,” he said.

Schmidt touched on a slew of economic topics, including the U.S. Labor Force Participation Rate which comprises those who are 16 or older and not institutionalized or in the military.
“Our rate is about average nationally,” Schmidt said, noting the state’s workforce is shrinking.
“A big challenge in Mesquite is an older population that doesn’t work as much,” he added.

It stands to reason: You can only grow so much with the population you have, and Nevada’s overall birth rate is on the decline, he said.
“The biggest risk is, will our population continue to grow to offset those folks retiring?” Schmidt asked, before adding that grappling with such a shift “is something companies have been dealing with and will be in the future.”

Mesquite Chamber of Commerce President CEO Carol Kolson said factors such as early retirement and lack of affordable housing must be taken into consideration. “The Mesquite Chamber will continue to spotlight areas of concern for businesses, so that we can start to work on a plan,” she explained.

Although Nevada’s unemployment rate spiked in 2020 while its labor force cratered due to Covid-related reductions, the circumstances helped turn Mesquite into a “destination” city, Kolson said.
Since the pandemic unemployment has decreased. Schmidt asserted that unemployment claims include work-search requirements; Nevada has a team dedicated to researching fraud and inconsistencies.

There was “considerable” growth in the workforce in 2022. Tracking such numbers, however, “is statistically challenging” due to such factors as margins of error and seasonal effects pertaining to summer and winter.
“There’s been a strong peak in transportation, manufacturing, and warehousing – but Clark County is still slumping in the casino industry,” he said.

Over the last decade, Mesquite’s average weekly wage had climbed to the third quarter of 2023.
When it comes to commuting for work, Schmidt pointed out, far more travel from the Virgin Valley to Las Vegas than to St. George.

As for EmployNV, Hardy spoke about the Patriot Employer Program (PEP) and Hire Veterans Medallion Program – a creation under the HIRE Vets Act – which are free of charge.
“We’re looking for people who want to hire military veterans from any branch,” he said.

Kolson expressed appreciation for Schmidt visiting and providing data to help community members understand where the labor market might be headed.
“This was especially informative for us, since we have a lot of activities that people like to do in Mesquite such as golfing, gaming, OHV riding, et cetera,” Kolson surmised. “It takes employees to run all of these places, so we as a rural community with retirees need to look down the road sooner than the metropolitan areas of Las Vegas.”