NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – 2021 was a historic year for job creation and business in Tennessee. Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe said the state secured once-in-a-generation investments. “This year will be one for the records for our state.”
It was a notable year for dealmakers. “We’ll end up the year in sending over 35,000 jobs in a good year to just levels set that would be a 20,000 job year would be considered an exceptional year,” Rolfe said.
Thousands of jobs are coming to Tennessee, more than expected, with the unique investments of major corporations. “When you look at what we’re the real job creators the largest job creator was the Oracle announcement of 8,500 jobs which will be over the next 8 to 10 years,” the economic leader said.
The other crown jewel for the state this year includes a multi-billion dollar Ford Motor Company investment. “5.7 billion dollars and about 5,800 to 6,000 jobs that would rank number 2 and that’ll be over in West Tennessee,” he said.
But the 2022 jobs outlook could look different because of the size and scale of businesses moving to Tennessee. “The pipeline this morning looks just as exciting as the pipeline as we entered 2021,” Rolfe said. “Having said that, will we announce and recruit the same number of jobs in 2022? No sir, I don’t think we will.“
However, the Commissioner expects significant impacts for workers with livable wages, beginning with 2022 for places like Middle Tennessee.
“I am as optimistic that we are going to have the most robust 2022 as far as opportunities for Tennesseans that are not only skilled jobs, but a pathway to a skilled job, and also the economics that will be again well beyond what I would deem family-wage jobs.”
