Plumbers & Pipefitters Local Union #354 Apprenticeship Applications Available

The J.A.T.C. of Local Union #354 announces the final opportunity to apply for

an opening in the Apprenticeship Class, starting June 1, 2013. The final dates

are February 18th, 25th, 26th and 2ih from 8:30am - 11 :30am at the Training

Schools listed below:

Youngwood JATC - 263 Armbrust Road, Youngwood, PA 15697.

You must live in the following Counties: Westmoreland, Fayette,

portions of Washington and Greene counties,

Ebensburg JATC -172 Municipal Road, Ebensburg, PA 15931.

You must live in the following Counties: Bedford, Blair, Cambria,

Huntingdon, Indiana and Somerset, and

DuBois JATC - 3572 Watson Highway, DuBois, PA 15801.

You must live in the following Counties: Cameron, Clearfield, Elk and

Jefferson.

Applications will not be considered complete and accepted unless the following

documents are attached.

• A high school transcript of grades (not diploma) or GEO test results.

• Two (2) letters of recommendation from former employers, school officials

or non-related persons.

• Photo copy of the military discharge, form 00-214, if a veteran.

• Must provide a valid Pennsylvania driver's license.

• Must be at least 18 years of age at time of filing application.

• Must be physically capable of performing work of outside construction

plumbing-pipefitting trade, work at various heights, and extreme weather

conditions.

• Must be willing to work for various contractors.

• Must attend related instruction classes a minimum of two evenings per

week for a minimum of five years and be available for employment.

• If you have any questions, please call 724-925-8108.

Pittsburgh Region Adds Jobs In December

By Bill Toland / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

   

While the raw news may not be good -- the unemployment rate in the seven-county Pittsburgh region rose to 7.3 percent in December -- the region hit a positive benchmark of sorts last month:

Five years and counting with an unemployment rate lower than both the state and the national jobless number.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, issued Monday by the state Department of Labor and Industry, increased for the first time since September.

In October and November, the regional rate dropped from 7.4 percent to 7.2 percent. For the year, January through December, the region's unemployment rate crept from 7.0 to 7.3 percent.

Pennsylvania's seasonally adjusted rate in December 2012 rose one-tenth of one percentage point to 7.9 percent, and the national rate was unchanged at 7.8 percent.

In the region, Butler County remains the county with the lowest rate, at 6.8 percent, while Fayette County remains the highest, at 9.7. The city's rate -- which is not seasonally adjusted -- was estimated at 7.1 percent.

Even as the region's rate inched up, the Pittsburgh metropolitan statistical area added an estimated 800 jobs, to a record of nearly 1.17 million. Year-over-year, according to the Department of Labor and Industry, the non-farm total grew by 7,200 jobs.
That means that the region's increasing unemployment rate is not the result of fewer jobs, but a larger labor force.

Troops to Tractors connects military veterans to farm careers

Greensburg, PA—January 15, 2013 The Westmoreland Conservation District announces the launch of Troops to Tractors. They are seeking military veterans who wish to transition to a second career in agriculture.

Westmoreland Conservation District’s Troops to Tractors seeks honorably discharged veterans to connect them with successful farms and agribusinesses in southwestern PA. Veterans seeking on-the-farm employment, apprenticeships, or internships can get connected to resources to locate farms or agricultural operations that welcome the skills and dedication that veterans bring to the work environment.

Did you grow up on a farm and long to return to the rural way of life? Or, are you seeking a second career where you can use your skills and working outside in a fulfilling and challenging environment?

If so, this program is for you. Troops to Tractors is accepting inquiries from veterans with or without farming experience who have a genuine interest in the original “green job.”

If you are a 20% or more disabled veteran or have GI Bill benefits, you may be able to access stipend programs in connection with your transition into farming. For those already on the road to farm ownership, Troops to Tractors staff can point you in the right direction for educational and financial resources.

Said Jim Wolfe of the PA Department of Education, Division of Veterans & Military Education, about Troops to Tractors, “If a veteran called last week and told me he wanted to be a farmer, I would have been at a loss as to how to help…now I know where to send him.”

Westmoreland County, PA, 45 minutes east of Pittsburgh, is home to many acres of breathtaking farmland. If owning and working an agricultural operation is in your future once you leave active duty, the Troops to Tractors program can also connect you to resources connecting farmers seeking buyers so that farmland can stay productive.

For more information, please contact Mimi at 724-837-5271, ext. 211 or via email at mimi@wcdpa.com

Unemployment in Pennsylvania rises

By Ann Belser / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 

   

The unemployment rate in Pennsylvania rose above the national rate in December, according to figures released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Pennsylvania's unemployment rate was 7.9 percent, slightly above the state's November unemployment rate of 7.8 percent and the national unemployment rate of 7.8 percent for December.
The unemployment rate in the state is higher than it was in December 2011, when the seasonally adjusted rate was 7.7 percent and unemployment was waning from its post-recessionary high of 8.7 percent. The state unemployment rate ultimately fell to 7.4 percent in March and April 2011, but has risen since then and has been hovering around 8 percent.
In April 2007, well before the Great Recession started in December of that year, unemployment in Pennsylvania was 4.2 percent.
The unemployment rate did not hit 5 percent until April 2008.
Comparing December 2007, when the Great Recession began, to December 2012, three and a half years after the official end of the recession, shows that while the state's civilian labor force grew by 179,000, the number of people who were working was still down by 46,000.
In December, the state also lost nonfarm jobs. A blunt count of jobs, without the smoothing of spikes that is done with seasonal adjustment, found that employers cut 24,800 jobs from November to December. Seasonal adjustment of those numbers, however, provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry Friday, brought it down to 4,800 jobs lost.
Goods-producing industries added jobs overall with 700 new jobs in mining and logging and 4,400 construction jobs. Mining and logging jobs were up by 3,300 from December 2011, but construction was down from the previous year by 7,700 jobs. Manufacturing, which was up by 5,500 over December 2011, lost 1,100 jobs from November to December 2012.
In the service-providing sector, the state lost 8,800 jobs during the month, but was up by 37,600 jobs from the same time in 2011.
Trade transportation and utilities lost 5,500 jobs from November to December; leisure and hospitality cut 5,100 jobs from month to month; and financial activities lost 1,800 jobs during that time. Those three sectors all increased jobs in a year-over-year comparison by 9,100, 15,000 and 3,800, respectively.
Education and health services, however, which added 3,700 jobs in December from November, was down by 1,800 jobs compared to December 2011.
Government added 1,500 jobs during the month, but was down by 200 jobs in a year-over-year comparison.

Slight drop in Pittsburgh region's jobless rate

By Ann Belser / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 Unemployment in the seven-county Pittsburgh region declined one-tenth of a percentage point to 7.2 percent in November, the state Department of Labor and Industry announced Thursday.The area covered by the report -- Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties -- had a combined seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate that was lower than the state's rate of 7.8 percent or the national rate of 7.7 percent in November.
The unemployment rate, which is based on a survey of households, showed the regional labor force grew by 1,000, with 2,900 more people reporting they had jobs in November than in October even as 2,000 fewer reported being unemployed. Those numbers should add up, but were slightly askew due to rounding.
A second survey, which polls employers, showed the region gained a total of 4,500 jobs, including 1,000 in the government sector that had seen big losses in previous months. The numbers are not seasonally adjusted.
In the public sector, the federal government cut 200 jobs during the month while the state government added 500, bringing that sector even with its employment levels of November 2011.

PG graphic: Regional jobless rate 7.2%
(Click image for larger version)

Local municipalities cut 100 jobs in November, but the public schools added 800 jobs in November. Since last year, there are 2,300 fewer positions in local municipalities with 800 fewer jobs in the public schools.
Retail trade added 4,700 jobs in November as part of the seasonal employment boost caused by the run up to the holidays. That was 700 more jobs than the same time last year.
Financial services also added jobs, 1,000 over the month and 4,000 since November 2011.
Education and health services added 1,600 during November but the sector was down 800 jobs from November 2011. The loss can be explained in part by cuts to social service agencies, which eliminated 100 jobs during November and a total of 1,200 jobs since November 2011.
In addition, colleges and universities have cut 900 jobs since last November, though they did add 300 jobs during November 2012. Hospitals added 100 jobs during the month and 400 over the prior 12 months. Physicians offices also added 100 jobs in November and 500 from a year ago.
While the service sector added 5,100 jobs, goods producers were cutting back. Construction companies cut 400 jobs in November and are down by 2,200 from last year. Manufacturing cut 300 jobs, with 400 jobs lost in durable goods but 100 jobs added in non-durable goods in November. Overall the manufacturing sector is up by 900 jobs from last year.
Leisure and hospitality employers cut 3,700 jobs during the month, with 1,300 jobs lost at bars and restaurants. Overall the sector is still up from the same month last year with 3,300 more jobs.

July jobs data show some improvement in hiring

By Greg Robb, MarketWatch
                               

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — The nation’s labor market showed some signs of improvement in July as job growth came in above market expectations, U.S. government data showed on Friday.

Employment outside the farm sector grew by 163,000 workers in the month, the Labor Department said. This is the fastest pace of job growth since February.

Wall Street had expected a fairly moderate 100,000 increase in nonfarm payrolls for the month, according to a MarketWatch survey. See MarketWatch’s comprehensive economic calendar.
Wall Street greeted warmly the size of the monthly increase, with U.S. stock futures /quotes/zigman/8750836DJU2+1.78% rising after the report was released.
The gain in July was concentrated in the service sector. Factory employment also increased. Read full government report.
Government employment slipped. Private-sector payrolls rose by 172,000 in the month.

Read more here...

Joblessness in W.Pa. rises to 7.1%, but more at work

By Thomas Olson Pittsburgh Tribune Review
The Pittsburgh region reached near-record employment in June, but its unemployment rate increased to 7.1 percent anyway, the state said in a report issued Tuesday.

The seven-county jobless rate was 0.3 of a percentage point higher than May’s rate of 6.8 percent — the largest increase since February 2010, according to the state Center for Workforce Information & Analysis, based on a monthly survey of residents.

 

 

At the same time, employers in the region added 12,600 jobs in June, and 15,400 since June 2011. That brought the Pittsburgh region’s job count to 1,160,800, the highest level since February 2001, when it was a record 1,163,300, said the agency, citing a survey of employers.

 

 

“Employment went up, but the labor force went up even faster,” said Matthew Marlin, an economics professor at Duquesne University. The labor force, composed of those working or looking for work, jumped by 9,000 since May, and by 24,200 since June 2011.

 

 

“The report tells me more people are optimistic and went out to look for a job,” Marlin said. “A number of discouraged workers apparently became encouraged workers.”

 

 

The region had 89,200 unemployed residents last month, which was 4,600 more than in May.

The seven-county region consists of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

 

 

Read more here

New High-Rise in Downtown Pittsburgh Means Jobs, Revitalization

The following is a guest submission by

Mike Mikus, Director, Consumer Energy Alliance Mid-Atlantic

As the driver of the Keystone State natural gas boom, the energy industry has continuously pumped life into the Pittsburgh region’s economy and job market. With the recent announcement that Oxford Development plans to build a multi-million dollar high-rise downtown, the Marcellus Shale industry once again promises to be a valuable and vital contributor to the city’s revitalization efforts.

Developers are eager to build projects, such as this “350 fifth” tower – located on the block between Fifth and Forbes Avenue – as the availability of desirable office space in downtown Pittsburgh continues to wane. Securing a long-term lease with a large company – particularly with a key player in the Marcellus Shale industry – is a major key to the development’s success, and big name energy companies, such as Chevron and Shell, are rumored to be targets. Landing a big anchor to occupy a sizable chunk of the space would allow the project to move forward.

By rejuvenating the vast, yet mostly vacant building that will be “350 fifth” – the proposed $238 million skyscraper – with much-needed and valuable retail space, the project will prove to be a positive for both Pittsburgh residents and the overall downtown area, alike. According to Oxford Development, the project is expected to create hundreds of jobs, including 450 construction jobs and 2,500 permanent jobs, if the plan is approved as is.

However, as city officials are looking to encourage a renaissance of development downtown – beginning with the proposed new high-rise – the drilling ban that’s currently in place threatens to scare off such sought-after tenants. Along with local industries, Pittsburgh mayor Luke Ravenstahl has expressed concerns over the negative effect the drilling ban has on the desire to relocate within city limits.

With so much at stake for the city, policymakers should reconsider the ban on drilling that could cost our city sizeable investments, hundreds of jobs and significant economic development opportunities and growth. Pittsburgh cannot afford to lose out on the impact this development will have on the local economy, job market and widespread revitalization efforts.

Business-led program for students with disabilities cited for high job-placement rate

PITTSBURGH, July 27, 2012 – The UPMC Mercy Project SEARCH program, which helps high school students with disabilities become valued employees in meaningful competitive jobs, received an Employment Outcome Award for its class of 2010-11 at the 6^th International Project SEARCH Conference held in Austin, Texas, July 24-27.  Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania implements the program which was cited for achieving a job-placement rate of more than 60 percent. It was one of more than 70 Project SEARCH programs across the country that received Employment Outcome Awards.

            The Project SEARCH High School Transition Program is a unique, business- led, one year school-to-work program for students with disabilities, grade 12 or higher, who have completed their high school academic requirements, but have deferred taking a diploma that takes place entirely at the workplace. Hosted at UPMC Mercy and UPMC Passavant Hospitals, the program has helped over 30 Allegheny County students obtain employment.

            “Project SEARCH changes lives and Goodwill is proud to be an integral part of this outstanding program.  We congratulate the Project SEARCH staff, teams, and students of UPMC Mercy Project SEARCH on this award,” said Holly Opatick, Director of Transition Services at Goodwill.  The cornerstone of the program is total immersion in the organization, with students reporting to the host business, learning employability skills and marketable job skills, while participating in three job-training rotations during the school year.

            “In addition, Project SEARCH brings about positive cultural change within the work site organization by overcoming stereotypes and helping employees to see students with disabilities as unique individuals who can make real contributions to the organization and the greater community.”

Since its inception in 1996, Project SEARCH has grown from one original program site at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center to over 200 across the United States and Canada, England, Scotland, and Australia. Project SEARCH's primary objective is to secure competitive employment for people with disabilities.

UPMC Project SEARCH Partners: UPMC, the County of Allegheny Department of Human Services Office of Intellectual Disability (OID), Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania, and The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR).

Pittsburgh region's jobless rate holds steady

By Patricia Sabatini / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 

   

The unemployment rate in the seven-county Pittsburgh region held steady in May at 6.8 percent, the same rate recorded in March and April, the state Department of Labor and Industry reported today.

The labor climate locally continued to outperform the state and the nation as a whole, with the May jobless rate at 7.4 percent in Pennsylvania and 8.2 percent nationwide.
In May a year ago, the jobless rate in the Pittsburgh region was 7.3 percent.

After smoothing out seasonal spikes in hiring, the labor department reported nonfarm jobs in the region fell by 2,500 last month, the second straight monthly decline.

Unadjusted figures showed employers in the region added 7,800 jobs in May as the goods-producing sector gained 1,500 positions and the service sector added 6,300.

Among goods-producing industries, construction added 1,800 jobs, the smallest May increase since 2006. Compared to May 2011, construction jobs were off by 4,100.

Manufacturing jobs fell by 400 in May following three months of gains.

In the service sector, which showed the weakest bump up in May since 2005, professional and business services posted a strong gain of 1,600 jobs while education and health services lost 5,000.

Leisure and hospitality added 6,100 jobs and local government gained 1,200. But federal and state government trimmed 1,100 jobs.

Among the seven counties in the region, Butler had the lowest jobless rate in May at 6.1 percent and Fayette had the highest at 8.6 percent.

Across Pennsylvania, unemployment rates ranged from 5.5 percent in Centre County to 10.5 percent in Cameron County.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce touts Pittsburgh's job creation

By Tracie Mauriello / Post-Gazette Washington Bureau    

WASHINGTON -- Pennsylvania doesn't appear anywhere on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's top 10 lists of exporters, job creators or producers of college graduates, but travel to the southwest corner and you'll find a center of innovation so strong that it's the national business group's best role model for job creation.

The Chamber released its findings Wednesday in two reports issued at the conservative business group's annual Jobs Summit. One of the reports highlights Pittsburgh and Denver, cities that over the past two years had more job growth than the country's other metropolitan areas with populations of more than 1 million.

Pittsburgh showed 3.9 percent job growth and Denver showed 3.8 percent, while the average for the other 49 largest metropolitan areas is 2.8 percent.

The Chamber attributed the cities' success to networking and business partnerships, but the cities have one more thing in common: a history of hosting huge conventions that put the eyes of the world on them.

Denver hosted the 2008 Democratic National Convention; Pittsburgh, the 2009 G-20 world economic summit.

"You simply cannot put a dollar figure on the kind of marketing that occurred. ... Everybody knows about Denver now," Mayor Michael Hancock said during a panel discussion Wednesday.
Likewise, the G-20 helped raise Pittsburgh's profile as a convention destination and as an innovative city that transformed itself after the decline of the steel industry.

"It enabled us to show off our city, to show off some of the things we have, and we did ... gain some business growth from that," Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said. It was worth the disruptions caused by road closures and security measures surrounding the summit, he said.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/business/news/us-chamber-touts-pittsburghs-job-creation-640310

Manpower Group: 10 toughest jobs to fill

The hardest jobs to fill globally are skilled trades workers, engineers and sales representatives, according to Manpower Group’s survey of nearly 40,000 employers across 41 countries and territories. Skilled trades and engineers have become harder to find since last year, as demand outstrips supply. Sales representatives’ continued presence in the top 10 is a result of companies continuing to seek out experienced sales people who can help drive revenue growth.

Jobs most in demand in 2012	Jobs most in demand in 2011
1. Skilled Trades Workers	1. Technicians
2. Engineers	2. Sales Representatives
3. Sales Representatives	3. Skilled Trades Workers
4. Technicians	4. Engineers
5. Drivers	5. Laborers
6. Laborers	6. Management/ Executives
7. IT Staff	7. Accounting & Finance Staff
8. Accounting & Finance Staff	8. IT Staff
9. Chefs/Cooks	9. Production Operators
10. Management/Executives	10. Secretaries, PAs, Admin Assistants, & Office Support Staff

Talent supply and demand issues are generally more acute in the Asia Pacific and the Americas region than in EMEA. Globally, employers having the most difficulty finding the right people to fill jobs are located in Japan (81%), Brazil (71%), Bulgaria (51%), Australia (50%), USA (49%), India (48%), New Zealand (48%), Taiwan (47%), Panama (47%), Romania (45%), Argentina (45%), Mexico (43%) and Germany (42%). Talent shortages are least problematic in Ireland and the Netherlands. The percentage of employers reporting difficulties has remained relatively consistent over time, however India has displayed volatility where the proportion dropped 19 percentage points since last year, but jumped 51 percentage points the year before that. The number of employers struggling to fill roles in France has jumped 9 percentage points whereas it has dropped 15 percentage points in Italy.

Americas
Regionally, employers in the Americas are having more trouble filling jobs than the global average, with 41% of employers reporting difficulty filling positions due to lack of available talent. This figure represents the highest proportion of employers reporting difficulty since the start of the global economic downturn in 2008, and a 4% increase over last year’s survey. Despite this, employers are less concerned about the impact talent shortages have on key stakeholders with more than half (58%) believing the talent shortage will have little or no impact, up from 38% in 2011.

For the first time in the survey’s seven year history, employers in the Americas report engineering roles as the most difficult to fill across the region, up from fourth last year. While the role does not top the list in any individual country, it ranks second in Argentina, Canada, Costa Rica and the United States. Employers in Brazil (71%), the USA (49%) and Panama (47%) are having the most difficulty finding staff. Year-over-year, employers report greater difficulty filling vacancies in seven of the 10 countries. The most common strategy implemented by employers in the Americas to address talent shortages is additional training and development for existing staff, up from 32% in 2011 to 37% this year, and considerably more than the global average of 25%.
View the whole report here.

Pittsburgh MSA Unemployment Rate Steady At 6.8%

HARRISBURG (MAY 30) – In April, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the seven-county Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) remained at 6.8 percent.

Pittsburgh’s rate was still below both Pennsylvania’s rate (7.4%), and the United States’ rate (8.1%), which were each down one-tenth of a percentage point in April. Over the year, the Pittsburgh MSA’s unemployment rate was down half of a percentage point, the same as Pennsylvania’s movement from last April, while the national rate was down nine-tenths. Among the commonwealth’s 14 MSAs, the Pittsburgh MSA tied for the fifth lowest unemployment rate in April. Within the Pittsburgh MSA, Butler County (6.1%) had the lowest rate while Fayette County (8.5%) had the highest rate. Among Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, unemployment rates ranged from 5.3 percent in Montour County to 11.7 percent in Cameron County.

Seasonally adjustedTotal nonfarm jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA were down 1,300 in April. The April decline followed two months of increases. Pennsylvania’s nonfarm job count also dropped in April, down 600 to 5,727,700. Jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA were up 16,400 (1.4%) from April 2011, twice the Pennsylvania growth rate of 0.7% over the year.

April Industry Detail (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In April, Pittsburgh MSA goods-producing jobs rose by 2,600 to 144,100. The majority of the increase was due to construction, up 2,400 as spring hiring began. Over the year, local goods producing jobs were down 1,700 with the vast majority of the decline attributable to construction. Mining & logging was up 1,200 from last April, and has shown over-the-year increases of at least 1,000 since April 2010.

Pittsburgh MSA service providers added 8,200 jobs in April. The largest increase was a typical spring leisure & hospitality gain, up 4,600 jobs. Education & health services showed a decline of 500 due to a record April drop in health care & social assistance that was driven by social assistance. Professional & business services added 2,200 jobs, aided in part by an increase of 1,000 in administrative & waste services, which includes landscapers. Over the year, education & health services (+8,700) and professional & business services (+3,200) recorded the greatest job growth, while government (-3,400) experienced the largest employment decline.

Railroad companies seeking improvements, 15,000 new hires

By Tom Fontaine
Tribune-Review
Don Despines turned to railroading a decade ago after earning a college accounting degree and working several sales jobs.

"I didn't feel comfortable raising a child on commission," said Despines, 34, who lives in Economy, five miles from one of the region's largest railyards in Conway. He said steady pay and attractive retirement benefits lured him to the career.

The nation's seven major railroads hope such selling points will help them hire a combined 15,000 people this year, almost a quarter of them military veterans and many from other professions, according to the Washington-based Association of American Railroads that represents the major freight haulers and Amtrak. Smaller, short-line and regional railroads intend to hire thousands more.

"If they add any jobs in Conway, it would be a blessing. If they add 500, I might tap dance on Route 65," said Donna Fath, a bartender at a VFW that sits across the highway from Norfolk Southern's sprawling Conway Terminal in Beaver County, once the nation's largest rail yard. It employs about 1,400.

Norfolk Southern intends to hire 2,800 people this year. It did not say how many would be based at Conway. On average, 60 to 80 trains a day pass through the giant yard that stretches four miles along the upper side of the Ohio River. It is also unknown how many people will be hired locally at CSX, but the state's No. 2 hauler hired 4,000 people last year and plans to hire more than 3,000 this year.

Railroads plan to spend a record $13 billion of their money on system improvements, the railroad association said. A PennDOT report released in December 2010 said Pennsylvania's railroads planned at least $376.6 million of work in the following three years.
"We can't say (railroads) are poised to regain their previously dominant position, but their long period of decline appears to be over and they are holding their own," said Noel Perry, managing director and senior consultant at Freight Transportation Research Associates in Nashville, Ind.

Railroad employment is on pace to rise for the second year in a row. It averaged about 232,000 through this year's first three months and 229,000 employees for all of 2011, up from 216,525 in 2010, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

It would be just the 12th time since 1947 that average annual railroad employment increased, and just the fourth time that railroads posted two or more years in a row of increased employment. Railroads endured a 22-year skid between 1952 and 1973 in which employment dropped every year, and an 18-year slide between 1980 and 1997.
Perry said rail freight haulers have improved service and profit margins over the past decade, allowing them to put more money toward infrastructure improvements and training of new employees. "As the economy grows, most railroads will be able to grow along with it," he said.

The booming Marcellus shale natural gas industry has created an emerging rail market in Pennsylvania, which has more railroads -- 55 -- than any other state, said Joe Gerdes, executive of the Harrisburg-based Keystone State Association of Railroads.
"It's been a godsend here, particularly to short-line railroads," Gerdes said.

Gerdes said Wellsboro & Corning Railroad -- which operates a 35-mile line between Tioga County in northcentral Pennsylvania and Steuben County in New York -- hauled about 300 carloads of scrap metal a year before the Marcellus industry arrived. Now it's moving thousands of carloads of sand and water from drilling sites, Gerdes said.

Wellsboro & Corning received a $700,000 state grant this year for line improvements. It was among $23.2 million in state grants doled out for rail projects, including $7.4 million in Western Pennsylvania. It was the lowest total since the state awarded $14.3 million in grants in 2007, PennDOT said. Major railroads aren't eligible for federal funding for capital projects, Association of American Railroads spokeswoman Holly Arthur said.

Overall, the railroad association said, major railroads hauled 8.1 million carloads of freight in the first 16 weeks of this year, down 0.7 percent from the same period a year ago and almost 7 percent below the same period in 2007 -- before the recession began.

A mild winter and low natural gas prices dampened demand for coal, which fills more than two of every five rail freight cars. Grain shipments also tumbled. Increased shipments of petroleum products, automobiles, metal, lumber, and truck trailers and shipping containers -- also known as intermodal traffic -- helped offset the losses.

Shipping by barge increased 6.9 percent during the first three months of this year compared with the same period a year ago. Shipping by truck increased by 2.7 percent in March compared with March 2011.
Of the new hires at major railroads, about 3,000 are planned because of growth, while the remaining 12,000 are because of attrition, including a wave of retirements that is expected to continue and to open up tens of thousands of jobs in years to come, Arthur said. Train operations and maintenance jobs offer the most opportunities, she said.

Bill Thompson of Imperial, a 37-year railroad worker, is retiring this week. A locomotive engineer turned full-time union rep, Thompson estimated that more than 60 percent of engineers -- including some with decades on the job -- "have no idea when they're coming or going" because they work on-call.

"You've got to be ready to work at a moment's notice seven days a week. If you want all your weekends off or evenings or days off, then railroading is not for you," he said. "This job has been very good for my family, but it's a tough lifestyle."

Despines, the salesman who switched to a railroad career, started at Norfolk Southern as a conductor trainee and became a locomotive engineer in about two years. He mostly runs trains between Conway and Toledo, Ohio.

"You're away from home a lot and you're always on call. The security of the job and the pension we have is what keeps me there," Despines said. The Association of American Railroads says average wages and benefits total $107,000 at major railroads.
If you're a military veteran, the railroads want you.

Railroads have long hired large numbers of military veterans. Arthur said their "dedication, leadership and strategic thinking" abilities make them well-suited for the job. Veterans make up about 20 percent of the work force at CSX and 14 percent of it at Norfolk Southern, spokespeople said.

One sat in the bar at the Conway VFW late Thursday afternoon: Eddie Keller, 80, a Korean War veteran who worked at the Conway yard for 43 years. He built a home just up the hill from the rail yard, well within earshot of the clanging, ringing, rumbling and whistling.
"People have asked if the noise ever bothers me. It never has. It's the sound of people working," Keller said, adding he'd gladly put up with more racket if it meant more jobs for the area.

Over 61,000 People Were Helped By Goodwill During 2011

PITTSBURGH, April 10, 2012 – Services and programs provided by Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania helped 61,308 individuals last year, according to the agency’s recently released annual report for 2011. Over 40,000 benefitted from a variety of community services and more than 11,000 received job-related services through PA CareerLink. Other major service areas were education, employment placement, and transitional and youth services.

            One of the area’s largest and most diverse human services agencies, Goodwill SWPA also reported that it recycled 26,157,148 pounds of donated goods during 2011, including 2,519,045 pounds of computers and E-waste items; 4,708,715 pounds of recyclables such as aluminum, plastic, glass and newspapers collected at the Goodwill-operated Fayette County Recycling Center; 18,685,004 pounds of retail recyclables such as books, shoes, toys and housewares; and 244,384 pounds of toner containers.

            Total revenues for Goodwill SWPA in 2011 were $47,071,593 compared to $46,674,358 in 2010. Expenses for program services and supporting services for 2011 were $45,163,573, resulting in a consolidated change in net assets of $1,908,020, compared to 2010 expenses of $40,802,523 and a consolidated change in net assets of $5,871,835.

February Job Report Shows Positive Trends

The jobs outlook improved once again in February as both new employment and the overall labor force rose for the third straight month. Employers added over a quarter of a million private sector jobs, beating conservative Wall Streetestimates that called for a 210,000 increase.

Private-sector employment grew by 233,000 jobs, 227,000 of which consist of nonfarm payroll employment. Employment rose in professional and businesses services (+82,000) with temp services accounting for just over half that figure at 45,000. Health care and social assistance also posted gains (+61,000), as did leisure and hospitality (+44,000), and manufacturing industries (+31,000).

The unemployment rate is holding steady at 8.3 percent after falling in recent months. The long-term unemployment numbers, tracking those who have been jobless for 27 weeks or more, fell slightly from 5.5 million to 5.4 million. The long-term unemployed account for over 42% of the total unemployment figure.

One of the most promising indicators lies within the U-6 rate, which declined to 14.9 percent, the lowest reading in more than three years. Often referred to as the “underemployment rate”, the U-6 rate doesn’t just measure the percentage of people in the U.S. that are unemployed — the figure most often quoted in the media, which is sometimes called the U-3 rate — it also tracks two other very important groups. 

The U-6 rate also accounts for those who are marginally attached to the work force — unemployed people who, for whatever reason, have not looked for work in the 4 weeks prior to the survey, whether due to school attendance, family responsibilities, or because they simply gave up looking for work.  It also tracks those who would prefer full-time employment, but due to economic circumstances are working part-time jobs instead.

According to Jared Bernstein, a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “This month's report makes another addition to a solid and improving trend in what has been the most important missing piece in the economic recovery so far: conditions in the job market.”

Another interesting point lies within the December and January job numbers, which were both recently revised. December’s final job tally rose from 203,000 additional jobs to 223,000, a 20,000 job difference. January’s results were even more drastic, going from 243,000 estimated jobs to 284,000. So overall, an additional 60,000 jobs that were not initially counted have now been added to the totals, making February’s increases that much more significant.

U.S. adds 243,000 jobs in January

Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 243,000 in January, and the unemployment rate decreased to 8.3 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job growth was widespread in the private sector, with large employment gains in professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and manufacturing. Government employment changed little over the month.

Private-sector employment grew by 257,000, with the largest employment gains in professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and manufacturing. Government employment was little changed over the month.

 Professional and business services continued to add jobs in January (+70,000). About half of the increase occurred in employment services (+33,000). Job gains also occurred in accounting and bookkeeping (+13,000) and in architectural and engineering services (+7,000).

Over the month, employment in leisure and hospitality increased by 44,000, primarily in food services and drinking places (+33,000). Since a recent low in February 2010, food services has added 487,000 jobs.

In January, health care employment continued to grow (+31,000). Within the industry, hospitals and ambulatory care services each added 13,000 jobs.

 Wholesale trade employment increased by 14,000 over the month. Since a recent employment low in May 2010, wholesale trade has added 144,000 jobs.

Employment in retail trade continued to trend up in January. Job gains in department stores (+19,000), health and personal care stores (+7,000), and automobile dealers (+7,000) were partially offset by losses in clothing and clothing accessory stores (-14,000). Since an employment trough in December 2009, retail trade has added 390,000 jobs.

In January, employment in information declined by 13,000, including a loss of 8,000 jobs in the motion picture and sound recording industry.

In the goods-producing sector, manufacturing added 50,000 jobs. Nearly all of the increase occurred in durable goods manufacturing, with job growth in fabricated metal products (+11,000), machinery (+11,000), and motor vehicles and parts (+8,000). Durable goods manufacturing has added 418,000 jobs over the past 2 years.

Employment in construction increased by 21,000 in January, following a gain of 31,000 in the previous month. Over the past 2 months, nonresidential specialty trade contractors added 30,000 jobs.

Mining added 10,000 jobs in January, with most of the gain in support activities for mining (+8,000). Since a recent low in October 2009, mining employment has expanded by 172,000.

Government employment changed little in January. Over the past 12 months, the sector has lost 276,000 jobs, with declines in local government; state government, excluding education; and the U.S. Postal Service.

The average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls was unchanged in January. The manufacturing workweek increased by 0.3 hour to 40.9 hours, and factory overtime increased by 0.1 hour to 3.4 hours.

Pittsburgh Unemployment Down to 6.9% in December

HARRISBURG (JANUARY 31) – In December, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the seven-county Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) was down two-tenths of a percentage point to 6.9 percent. The local rate remained below Pennsylvania’s rate (7.6%), which fell three-tenths of a percentage point, and the United States’ rate (8.5%), which was down two-tenths of a percentage point. 


Over the year, the Pittsburgh MSA’s unemployment rate was down a full percentage point, while Pennsylvania’s rate and the national rate were both down nine-tenths of a percentage point.


Among the commonwealth’s 14 MSAs, the Pittsburgh MSA was tied for the 5th lowest unemployment rate in December. Within the Pittsburgh MSA, Butler County (6.4%) had the lowest rate while Fayette County (8.6%) had the highest rate. 


Among Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, unemployment rates ranged from 5.1 percent in Centre County to 11.5 percent in Cameron County.


Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA rose 5,200 in December to 1,156,300, the highest level since April 2001. December marked the tenth increase in 2011. Pennsylvania’s nonfarm job count increased by 6,500 in December to 5,699,100, the highest level since January 2009. Jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA were up 26,600 (2.4%) from December 2010, while Pennsylvania’s jobs rose 59,200 (1.0%) from last year’s level.


Pittsburgh MSA service-providing jobs rose 4,200 in December, establishing a new record level of 1,016,900 jobs. Trade, transportation, & utilities (+5,200) accounted for a majority of the service-providing jobs increase as local retailers continued to add seasonal employment. 


Leisure & hospitality and education & health services supersectors incurred the largest over-the-month declines, down 900 jobs each. Both declines were expected as leisure & hospitality generally shows a sizable decline in December, and education & health services typically experiences a reduction in employment due to the ending of the fall school semester. 


Over the year, education & health services (+10,400) and trade, transportation, & utilities (+7,700) have provided the greatest job growth, while government (-1,000) and information (-200) have experienced the largest employment declines.

U.S. gains 200,000 jobs in December!

By Jeffry Bartash, MarketWatch

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — The U.S. economy added 200,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate fell for the fourth month in a row, the government said Friday, in a fresh sign the economy is picking up and businesses are more willing to hire.

The increase in jobs last month — the fourth biggest gain of 2011 — suggests the U.S. is entering the new year with renewed vigor. Faster hiring puts more money in the hands of consumers and usually leads to an increase in spending. That’s a big deal since consumer spending accounts for as much as 70% of economic growth.


The unemployment rate edged down to 8.5% from an upwardly revised 8.7% in November, the Labor Department said.


The U.S. was expected to add 150,000 jobs and the jobless rate was forecast to rise to 8.7% from an initially reported 8.6% in November, according to a MarketWatch survey of economists. 


Read more: http://bit.ly/yKpXgw

PITTSBURGH MSA UNEMPLOYMENT DOWN TO 7.0%

HARRISBURG (DECEMBER 1) – In October, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the seven-county Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) fell four-tenths of a percentage point to 7.0 percent, the second consecutive decline of four-tenths of a percentage point.

The local rate remained below Pennsylvania’s rate (8.1%) which fell two-tenths of a percentage point and the United States’ rate (9.0%) which was down one-tenth of a percentage point. Over the year, the Pittsburgh MSA’s unemployment rate was down nine-tenths of a percentage point, while Pennsylvania’s rate was down four-tenths of a percentage point, and the national rate fell seven-tenths of a percentage point over the same period.

Among the commonwealth’s 14 MSAs, the Pittsburgh MSA was ranked as the 5th lowest unemployment rate in October. Within the Pittsburgh MSA, Butler County (6.4%) had the lowest rate while Fayette County (8.7%) had the highest rate. Among Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, unemployment rates ranged from 5.3 percent in Centre County to 11.2 percent in Cameron County.

Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA rose 8,400 in October to 1,149,600. October tied for the third largest employment increase on record. Statewide jobs also showed growth, up 13,800 to 5,690,900. Jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA were up 21,600 (1.9%) from October 2010, while Pennsylvania’s jobs rose 54,500 (1.0%) from last year’s level.