RV Boon Squeezes Elkhart County Job Market

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The cyclical recreational vehicle industry is on a roll and in Elkhart County, the RV Capital of the World, that means jobs and lots of them. Just last week, Jayco Inc. and Grand Design RV announced expansions plans that could mean 750 new jobs in Middlebury, the latest in a series of local jobs announcements this year. But with the county’s unemployment rate hovering around 2 percent, the RV revival is squeezing an already tight job market. "Everyone’s looking for workers," said Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer Kyle Hannon. "If you need a job, come to northern Indiana, you can find one."

In an interview on Inside INdiana Business Television, Hannon said quality of place efforts are key to addressing the worker shortage.

Hannon says about 29,000 people drive into Elkhart County daily for work, so looking to neighboring counties for help isn’t an option. "Part of the problem is the economy is good most places, so there aren’t a lot of spare workers around."

Watch the entire interview: