It’s hard to remember when, exactly, the metro Atlanta jobless rate was under five percent, but believe it or not it was way back in 2007.

That changed in February, when the metro Atlanta jobless rate dropped to 4.9 percent.

It’s been a long, arduous process after the Great Recession took hold in 2008 and beyond, but after hitting double-digit unemployment in the metro area in 2010, the job market has tightened and now sits back to levels not seen in a decade.

As the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported, “for the first time, the Atlanta labor force now includes more than 3 million workers. To see the unemployment rate drop while the labor force expands is an encouraging sign for the job market.

“The metro economy added 12,300 jobs during the month. That was slightly better than the average during the previous five Februarys and only slightly weaker than the same month in 2015 and 2016 — which were both years of strong job growth.”

This marks the third consecutive February with strong jobs numbers in the metro Atlanta region.

However, not everything is peaches and cream right now. Many jobs are not high-paying careers and too many in the region are working multiple jobs to make ends meet.

This is where WorkSource Georgia comes in. Did you know there are several career-growth programs offered at no expense to you, our fellow Georgians?

The Georgia Workforce Division has 19 local workforce investment areas located around the state to better serve Georgians. Within these areas are more than 40 full-service career centers. The 19 Local Workforce Development Areas (LWDAs) positioned within each region of the state serve as the “boots” on the ground and are your first points of contact for tapping into the rewarding employment-driven resources offered through WorkSource Georgia. Regardless of where you live in Georgia, there is a WorkSource Georgia Career Center or One-Stop nearby to assist with your employment needs.

The time is now to boost your skillset, because the job market is going to tighten up, rendering every opening that much more competitive. A broader base of skills makes you a more valuable candidate.