CBIA BizCast: Breaking Down Connecticut’s Job Market

Connecticut added 1,400 jobs in September, but a surge in job openings and a labor force still well below year-ago levels underscore employers’ ongoing hiring challenges.

On this episode of the CBIA BizCast, host Amanda Marlow sits down with CBIA Foundation director Dustin Nord to break down the newly released employment report.

Nord shares his insights into manufacturing’s growth, Connecticut’s labor-force shortages, workforce development, and the economic risks businesses should watch.

Also in this episode, we share highlights from the foundation’s 2026 Manufacturing Tour, which celebrated the importance of the industry to Connecticut’s economy.

During the week-long tour business leaders and public officials hit the road in a fully-branded and wrapped bus to visit 15 manufacturers and five workforce development organizations.

Episode Highlights

• Payroll increases
• Manufacturing growth
• Professional and business services losses
• Labor force concerns
• Workforce development and career pipelines
• Connecticut economic outlook

Headlines You May Have Missed

• Connecticut Workers Among Top Five Earners
• Election 2026: Connecticut Sample Ballots
• SBA, Pentagon Launch Financing Initiative

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