Industry employment and wages

June 3, 2019

The jobs in a parish can be divided into industries that bring in revenue through trade with consumers and businesses located outside the region, and local-serving industries that primarily serve local residents (such as retail, restaurants, and local government). Jobs in “traded” industries are considered the drivers of regional economic growth and tend to pay higher wages. In contrast, jobs in local-serving industries are more numerous, but tend to pay lower wages on average. 

The types of jobs in a parish do not necessarily dictate the opportunities available to residents because workers can commute to other parishes for higher-paying employment. However, local businesses, policymakers, and workers may be interested in understanding the economy of their home parish, because a parish with many traded industry jobs may provide good opportunities, but only if residents have accumulated the skills for these specialized positions. On the other hand, parishes with a large share of local-serving jobs may provide employment for many lower-skilled workers, although residents may have to commute long distances to access higher paying opportunities elsewhere in the region.