Hourly Job Growth in Pittsburgh Region Becoming a Trend

Hourly job growth led the way for total growth in Pittsburgh during May, according to the monthly jobs index from Monster. This index actually measures employer’s level of activity in recruiting new workers and is a precursor to job growth itself. This is a continuation of a trend that we saw begin in January of this year for the what could be the best hourly job market Pittsburgh has seen in 7 years. Here is an excerpt from the press release:

Online Job Demand in Pittsburgh Rises in May,
According to the Monster Local Employment Index

PITTSBURGH, June 18, 2007 – The Monster Local Employment Index for
Pittsburgh gained two points in May, extending a four-month upward growth trend
despite a general seasonal slowdown in online recruitment activity among several whitecollar
occupations. Strong demand for workers in education, manufacturing and
construction helped the Index for Pittsburgh achieve a three percent annual growth
pace for the month, the highest on record.
Results for Pittsburgh over the past 13 months are as follows:





Public sector specific occupations such as education, training, and library; and military
specific led the Index in terms of growth during the month of May. Both categories
have recorded extended growth streaks in 2007. The transportation and material
moving; and production categories also registered sharp gains, suggesting improved local
demand for manufacturing workers.
Online opportunities in the leisure and hospitality sector also increased last month.
Food preparation and serving related occupations noted the steepest year-over-year
improvement in the Index as Pittsburgh maintained its number one position for the
category among the 28 markets monitored. Sales occupations also reached a new peak
after five months of escalating online recruitment activity.
Meanwhile, the white-collar segment edged downward during May, marking an end to
the spring recruitment season for entry-level professionals. Architecture and
engineering occupations registered the most substantial downturn from the previous
month, followed closely by computer and mathematical (IT); and management. Legal
again proved to be the most atypical of the white-collar categories, following a muted
recruitment month in April with a sharp May increase.
In total, 12 occupational categories rose in May, while five declined and two were
unchanged.