Although New Mexico’s unemployment rate is higher than it’s been in over two decades, the job outlook for residents of the state may be on the mend. Employment growth was rated at 8.5% in January alone, nearly 3% higher than the previous year.

Seeing as the national unemployment rate is currently at 9.7%, it does look like it’s getting better.

The biggest areas of growth in the state are in the leisure and hospitality sector. This can be seen with the state’s priorities; $13 million was recently taken out of a horse facility project to support other attractions—such as the University of New Mexico baseball stadium—while domestic violence shelters and water treatment plants are still on the waiting list for needed funds.

People without jobs can begin searching online at NM CareerMatch, a new career database offering employment opportunities from thousands of different companies. It can be accessed via any computer with an Internet connection and is already putting some people to work.

The site is especially geared toward students of the area, as the New Mexico-Valencia Campus and other schools joined into the site’s network on March 1. The schools verify their students’ statuses, providing employers with a tool to see who is most qualified for their open positions.

It’s also helpful for students, who no longer have to search for their diplomas or transcripts when applying for any of these positions. They can all be found within the site’s database.

Computer access remains a problem for many NM students, however; half of them do not have Internet access—or have limited access—away from campus. The computer labs at the schools are recommended for these students to use.