The number of people applying for jobless benefits are the lowest they’ve been since  March 1973, according to a recent report from the U.S. Department of Labor. Although the labor market continues to strengthen despite a sluggish economy, there are still thousands of people looking for jobs and many job openings left unfilled.

While some economists believe that jobless claims are running low and that the economy is creating a lot of jobs, Elise Gould, an economist for the Economic Policy Institute — a think tank affiliated with the labor movement — noted that, “Despite companies adding jobs, in the United States, there are still 14 job seekers for every 10 openings.”

The number of job openings compared to workers who are unemployed also varies considerably depending on the industry. For example, there were 1.1 million job openings in professional and business services, compared to 880,000 workers who were unemployed in that industry. At the same time, in construction, there were 150,000 jobs for 600,000 workers who are unemployed — or four workers for every open construction job in a period ending in December 2015. Some have debated that the unfilled jobs are vacant due to a skills gap.

“Closing the skills gap requires a commitment to retraining and educating our workforce and investing in workers of all ages, from students to seniors,” said Jennifer Tucker, Senior Director of Workforce Development. “For workers who are unemployed or underemployed that need to gain specific skills, community colleges are a viable option to propel them into new jobs and careers. Goodwill is a resource for credentialing and training in the community and has helped connect people to jobs since 1902.”

As North America’s leading nonprofit provider of job training, employment placement services and other community-based programs, Goodwill® is helping people overcome challenges that prevent them from finding and keeping good jobs.

As part of that ongoing effort, Goodwill of the Coastal Empire will join with other Goodwill organizations around the United States and Canada to host career fairs in May as part of Goodwill Industries Week. This year’s job fair takes place on Tuesday, May 3 at 10 a.m. at 7220 Sallie Mood Drive.

The sale of donated goods at Goodwill of the Coastal Empire stores and online helps fund its job placement and training services. Everyone in the community can do their part by donating things they no longer need to Goodwill of the Coastal Empire.