ICYMI: Kentucky Leads America in Job Growth, as Gov. Beshear Shatters Jobs Records

New federal data shows Kentucky saw nation’s largest job growth increase in August

By SEBASTIAN KITCHEN

Kentucky Democratic Party

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sept. 30, 2022) – Gov. Andy Beshear continues to smash economic development records and lead not only the commonwealth, but the country in job growth, according to a new report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics with Kentucky’s job growth outpacing every other state last month. With more than 26,000 jobs added in August, this latest jobs report shows Kentucky’s skyrocketing economic growth under Gov. Beshear’s leadership is only accelerating.

“Gov. Beshear is leading not only the commonwealth, but the country in economic development creating more jobs and opportunities in every corner of Kentucky,” said KDP Chair Colmon Elridge. “Thanks to Gov. Beshear, the best jobs governor in our history, we’ve seen more records shattered in job growth, capital investment and economic development, along with five straight months of record low unemployment, than at any other time in our commonwealth’s history. We’re building a brighter future for Kentucky because of his steady leadership, and that includes thousands of new, good-paying jobs.”

Along with smashing every annual economic development record in 2021 and the five straight months of record low unemployment, just this week Gov. Beshear announced more than 1,000 jobs and more than $760 million in investment with economic development projects in Boone, Christian, Henderson, Jefferson and Kenton counties. 

While Republicans desperately try to spin this week’s unprecedented jobs report, the numbers don’t lie: from July to August, Kentucky added 26,700 jobs to the economy. More than 58,400 jobs were added in total to Kentucky’s economy over the past twelve months. That included 5,300 good-paying manufacturing jobs since August 2021, according to the Kentucky Center for Statistics.

This record-breaking job growth comes amid historic investments in Kentucky manufacturing. Just this week, Gov. Beshear and Ford Motor Co. announced a $700 million investment to create 500 new jobs in Louisville and rolled out the brand-new F-Series Super Duty truck, which will be made in Kentucky.

This week a year ago, Ford and SK Innovation unveiled their Glendale electric vehicle battery plants, putting Kentucky on the map as a global leader in the fast-growing market of electric vehicle battery production. The largest economic development investment in Kentucky history, Ford’s Glendale project is set to create 5,000 new jobs – a record jobs number for a Kentucky project. Envision also announced a new EV battery plant in Bowling Green earlier this year – the second-largest economic development project in Kentucky history. 

In 2021, Gov. Beshear shattered every annual economic development record on the books announcing more than 18,000 jobs and more than $11 billion in private-sector investment that year alone.