ARDMORE, OK -- A new university study is predicting job growth along with new construction in the Ardmore area, and that’s getting a lot of people excited. Although the national economy has been struggling, a prominent OSU economist has given Oklahomans reason to relax, at least on the job growth front.

Mark Snead is the man behind a rosy report on statewide job growth. The prediction is for Oklahoma to increase the number of available jobs by 1.4% and by 2% in Ardmore. The Ardmore Development Authority agrees, and says the prediction is substantiated by record numbers of construction permits. As far as specific sectors jobs are expected to emerge from, experts say it will be skilled jobs as well as unskilled.

"There are a lot of opportunities around and the work force, from the employer’s standpoint, is very competitive. So if you’re into the job search, it’s been better than it has been in a number of years in a number of jobs, but also in terms of the wage rates,” said Brien Thorstenberg with the Ardmore Development Authority.

Thorstenberg also made the point that it may be a better time than ever for those who have been out of the workforce for awhile, like stay at home parents, parents with grown kids, or people who are looking to come out of retirement. In the end, experts say there should be plenty of jobs to go around in Ardmore and in Oklahoma as a whole.