As many as 18,000 jobs are available in the Huntsville area, according to job seeker websites ZipRecruiter, Indeed and Glassdoor.

But are there enough people to fill them? According to the Alabama Department of Labor, less than 7,000 people were unemployed in November in the Huntsville and Decatur metro areas, which had the lowest unemployment rates in the state at 2.0 percent.

Huntsville Hospital CEO Jeff Samz admits filling positions can be a challenge in competing with other businesses in the area for entry level workers. As one of the largest employers in the area, the hospital has roughly 1,000 jobs available in Madison County alone and 1,500 system wide.

Nearby, while Mazda Toyota Manufacturing is getting closer to full employment with a workforce of 3,700, Vice President of Administration Mark Brazeal said the facility in Greenbrier is hiring and training team members in preparation to start the second shift of Mazda CX-50 production, planned to start in mid-2023.

Huntsville City Schools had 102 listings on the Alabama State Board of Education jobs board, ranging from custodian positions to assistant principal positions. Madison County Schools had 33 jobs posted.