The Wichita area is expected to see growth of around 2,800 jobs this year, according to a new forecast from Wichita State University.
WSU’s Center for Economic Development and Business Research has issued new forecasts for 2019, showing growth of 0.9 percent for the Wichita metropolitan area, which includes Sedgwick, Butler, Harvey, Kingman and Sumner counties. The job growth would bring the Wichita area close to its 2016 levels of employment.
Manufacturing employment is expected to grow by 150 jobs, with the natural resources and construction sector adding more than 500 jobs. The trade, transportation and utilities sector is expected to see almost 300 new jobs, and the service sectors are expected to add more than 1,000 jobs in 2019. The leisure and hospitality sector and the professional and business services sector are expected to be the fastest growing. The information sector is expected to lose jobs, with a 0.1 percent decline. Financial activities employment is expected to gain less than 100 jobs and education and health services will expand by 0.7 percent. The government sector is expected to grow by more than 400 jobs, with local government adding over 300 jobs and state government adding about 150 workers.
The forecast for the state of Kansas calls for 1.1 percent growth in 2019, with an addition of over 18,000 non-farm jobs statewide. The production sector will have the fastest growth at 1.5 percent with around 3,500 new jobs. The service sector will grow 1.1 percent and the trade, transportation and utilities sector will add more than 3,000 jobs with 1.2 percent growth. The government sector will have the slowest growth at 0.5 percent.
