U.S. Economy Adds 244,000 Jobs in April!

By Jeffry Bartash, MarketWatch

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — The U.S. economy gained 244,000 jobs in April, the biggest increase in almost a year, but the nation’s unemployment rate rose to 9.0%, according to government data.

Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had predicted a net gain of 175,000. Most had expected job gains to slow from March’s revised increase of 221,000 because of weaker growth in the first quarter and a slew of data that seemed to suggest a slowdown in hiring.

Payrolls for February and March were also revised up by a combined 46,000, the Labor Department reported Friday.

The payroll data are derived from a survey of about 400,000 business establishments.
“It’s a good report. The payroll numbers are solid,” said Stephen Stanley, chief economist at Pierpont Securities. “I think the economy is starting to gain traction.”

In recent trading, U.S. stocks soared. The Dow Jones industrial average (DOW:DJIA) jumped more than 130 points following Thursday’s selloff.

Private sector gains

Hiring in the private sector posted the largest increase in five years, with the biggest gain occurring in the retail sector. Retailers hired 57,000 workers last month.
Professional and business services created 51,000 jobs, the leisure and hospitality sector added 46,000 positions and health-care companies hired 37,000 employees. The surging manufacturing sector also increased employment by 29,000.

The biggest decline took place in government, continuing a recent trend, as public-sector jobs fell by 24,000.

Average hourly earnings, meanwhile rose a scant 0.1% to $22.95, while the average workweek was unchanged.

Meager increases in wages are a thorn in the side of the U.S. recovery, especially in light of soaring oil prices and higher food costs. Workers have to spend more on basic necessities, leaving less demand for other goods and services.

Growth in the U.S. economy is likely to be constrained unless wages rise or the price of fuel and food decline, economists say.

Read more here: http://www.marketwatch.com/Story/story/print?guid=4C0F5376-77D6-11E0-B3F3-00212804637C

Pittsburgh Metro Unemployment Rate Drops to 6.8% in March

HARRISBURG (APRIL 26) – In March, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the seven-county Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) fell two-tenths of a percentage point to 6.8 percent, the lowest unemployment rate since March 2009.

The local rate was below the Pennsylvania rate (7.8%) and the United States rate (8.8%). The Pittsburgh MSA unemployment rate was down 1.5 percentage points from March 2010, while Pennsylvania’s rate was down one percentage point and the national rate fell by nine-tenths of a percentage point over the same period.

Among the commonwealth’s 14 MSAs, the Pittsburgh MSA had the 5th lowest unemployment rate. Within the Pittsburgh MSA, Butler County (6.5%) had the lowest rate and Fayette County (8.8%) had the highest rate. Among Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, unemployment rates ranged from 5.1 percent in Bradford County to 13.3 percent in Cameron County.

Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA fell 300 in March to 1,133,900. March was the first month to show a decline since September 2010. Pennsylvania jobs were down 1,700 in March to 5,670,100. Jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA were up 16,600 (1.5%) from March 2010, while Pennsylvania jobs rose 76,500 (1.4%) from the previous year’s level.

DEDICATION CEREMONY AND “OPEN HOUSE” SET FOR APRIL 20 AT GOODWILL’S NEW LAWRENCEVILLE FACILITY

PITTSBURGH, Pa., April 13, 2011 – Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania will dedicate its new Workforce Development Center (WDC) in Lawrenceville on Wednesday, April 20, during a community open house at the facility located at 118 52^nd Street. The public is invited to tour the WDC between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and to attend the dedication ceremony at 11 a.m.

Goodwill moved virtually all of its employment, training, education, recycling, and social services programs to the new building in December. Over 200 people work at thetwo-floor WDC, including program managers, teachers, instructors and job coaches. They serve hundreds of Goodwill clients who visit the facility on weekdays to attend classes and participate in various training and employment programs.

“We invite our new Lawrenceville neighbors and everyone else to come and see why Goodwill is so much more than thrift stores,” said Michael J. Smith, Goodwill President/ CEO. “Goodwill staff will be on hand at nearly 20 stations throughout the building to explain our many services and programs, including employment training, job search assistance, adult education classes, computer recycling, our Good-to-Go Café, and many more.”

Goodwill officials and community representatives will participate in the dedication ceremony and officially name the WDC as the Robert S. Foltz Building in honor of the long-time President of Goodwill Pittsburgh who retired in 2002.  Goodwill’s former headquarters building on the South Side also was named for Mr. Foltz.

Participating in the ceremony will be James C. Roddey, Honorary Co-Chairman of the Goodwill Renews! Capital Campaign; State Senator Jim Ferlo; State Representative Adam Ravenstahl; Gary R. Claus, Immediate Past Chairman of the Goodwill Board of Directors; and Mr. Smith.

As part of the re-dedication ceremony, James D. Scalo, President of Burns & Scalo Real Estate Services, Inc., will award the Goodwill WDC as the first-ever Class-G®certified project. Burns & Scalo, which constructed the WDC, founded the Class-G® program and have since spun-off this certification program into a stand-alone organization (Class-G.org).  The WDC plaque presentation marks the official national launch of this new green building certification, which recognizes property owners and their occupants for their “green” and sustainable practices. 

Mr. Scalo said the Goodwill WDC earned the Class-G® designation because of its re-use and upgrading of an existing building, formerly a warehouse; its innovative water-use and lighting features; several ADA-compliant design features that exceed code requirements; and its contribution to revitalizing the historic Lawrenceville neighborhood.

Reservations are not required to attend the open house. The Goodwill WDC is located between Butler Street and the Allegheny River at 118 52^nd Street.

Pittsburgh Area Unemployment Rate Dips To 7% In February

HARRISBURG (APRIL 5) – In February, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the seven-county Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) was down two-tenths of a percentage point to 7.0 percent.

This was the third consecutive monthly decline. The Pittsburgh MSA unemployment rate was below the Pennsylvania rate (8.0%) and the United States rate (8.9%). February marked the 37th straight month that the Pittsburgh MSA unemployment rate has been below both the Pennsylvania and national rates. The Pittsburgh MSA unemployment rate was down 1.5 percentage points from February 2010, while the Pennsylvania and national rates were both down 0.8 percentage points over the same period.

Within the Pittsburgh MSA, Butler County (6.6%) had the lowest rate and Fayette County (9.3%) had the highest rate. Among Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, unemployment rates ranged from 5.1 percent in Bradford County to 12.9 percent in Cameron County.

Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA rose for the fifth consecutive month, up 1,700 in February to 1,134,000. Pennsylvania jobs were up 23,700 in February to 5,674,100. Jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA were up 23,300 (2.1%) from February 2010, and Pennsylvania jobs were up 106,800 (1.9%) from February 2010.

Goods-producing jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA were down 2,500 to 136,100 in February. Declines were split between construction (-1,100) and manufacturing (-1,400), while mining and logging remained unchanged. Pittsburgh MSA goods-producing jobs were up 4,200 over the year, with all three goods-producing supersectors showing increases of at least 900 jobs since February 2010.

Service-providing jobs rose 3,400 in February to 976,000. Trade, transportation and utilities showed a decline of 2,900 jobs with retail trade down 2,400 as stores continued to eliminate seasonal retail jobs. Education and health services rose 2,300 in February as educational institutions returned from semester break. Similarly, state and local government also showed education-related increases, up 2,000, and 1,400 respectively.

In the Pittsburgh MSA, seven out of eight service-providing supersectors have shown over-the-year gains. Education and health services (+5,800), leisure and hospitality (+4,500) and professional and business services (+4,200) have shown the greatest over-the-year increases. Information was the only supersector in the Pittsburgh MSA which showed an over-the-year decline, down 700 jobs since February 2010.

Pennsylvania Jobless Rate Falls To 8% In February

Friday, March 18, 2011

By Ann Belser, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The state unemployment rate dropped to 8 percent in February from January's 8.3 percent rate, the state Department of Labor and Industry reported Thursday.

Pennsylvania also reported there were 30,000 more people working statewide in February than there were in January.

Pennsylvania's unemployment rate is now nearly a full percentage point below the rest of the nation, which logged 8.9 percent unemployment for the month.

Still, the news is actually not good for the long-term unemployed. This week the state announced that unemployment benefits would be reduced from 99 weeks to 93 weeks because, in January, the unemployment rate fell below 8.4 percent and that automatically triggered a reduction in the number of weeks that benefits would be paid.

The January unemployment rate was originally reported at 8.2 percent, but later revised to 8.3 percent. It was the average for November, December and January that triggered the reduction in federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation benefits.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11077/1132749-407.stm

Job Fair Success!

90 Pittsburgh area companies and 1,400 job seekers attended the 10th annual Spring Pittsburgh Diversity employment Expo. A special thanks to all who attended and helped make this event so successful! A special thanks to the staff at Consol Energy Center!

Spring 2011 Pittsburgh Diversity Employment Expo Coming March 15th, 90 Companies Will Be On Hand!

The 10th annual Pittsburgh Diversity Employment Expo Job Fair series will begin this year on March 15th at Consol Energy Center from 10:00AM to 3:00PM. Interest is already high among local Pittsburgh employers and 90 companies are expected to be on hand.

Produced by the Pittsburgh office of EmploymentGuide.com and co-sponsored by The Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh in association with AARP Foundation WorkSearch and the Allegheny County Department of Veteran's Affairs, featuring career opportunities from Consol Energy, Inc, this event is open to the general public and free for all job seekers.

Positions being offered will be in healthcare, nursing, oil/gas, manufacturing, banking/finance, sales, customer service, retail, military, hospitality, drivers, social services and much more.

Pre-registration for job seekers is not required but doing so will allow faster entrance at the door by-passing the registration table! Job Seekers may pre-register by clicking here.

Pittsburgh area employers are invited to find out more about how they can attend by emailing pittsburghjobs@gmail.com.

Here is the current company list which will be added to as we get closer to the event:

ADP Business Services
All-State Career School
Alorica (customer service and sales)
Aramark CONSOL Energy Center
Arc Human Services
Ariba/Freemarkets
Army National Guard
AVI Food Systems
Bank of America
Bethany Hospice
BNY/Mellon
Callos Companies (office/clerical, manufacturing and more)
Center For Family Planning Research (Magee Hospital)
Institute For Transfusion Medicine (Central Blood Bank)
Citizen Care, Inc
City of Pittsburgh
Combined Insurance
Comcast
Community College of Allegheny County
Community Options
Commute Info
Consol Energy, Inc (engineering and more)
Dish Network
Dollar Bank
Duncan Land + Energy (marcellus shale jobs)
Eaton Corp
ePeople Healthcare
Face 2 Face Sales Solutions
Family Behavioral Recources
Farmers Insurance Group
FedEx SmartPost
First Commonwealth Bank
First National Bank of PA
First Niagara
Five Star Quality Care
G4S Secure Solutions (security guards)
Gallagher Home Health Services
Garfield Jubilee Association
Gateway Health Plan
Geneva College
Glade Run Lutheran Services
GMS Mine Repair and Maintenance
Golden Living Centers
Goodwill
HCR/Manorcare
HHGregg Appliances and Electronics (new retail)
Home Depot
Jim Shorkey Family Auto Group (sales)
Kaplan Career Institute
Kellermeyer Building Services (janitorial)
Life Pittsburgh
Life's Work
Lifesteps, Inc.
Lowe's
Mainstay Life Services
Maxim Healthcare
Monumental Life Insurance
Moriarty Consultants, Inc (Home Healthcare)
NCO (call center)
Northwood Realty
Pittsburgh Job Corp Center
Pittsburgh Public Schools
Pittsburgh Tech. Institute-PTI
Premier Pan Company (manufacturing)
Prospector's Group (sales)
Prudential Financial
Prudential Preferred Realty
Quest Diagnostics
Rent a Center (sales, delivery drivers)
Sanford Brown
Sears Stores
South Hills Movers (drivers, helpers)
Southwood Psychiatric Hospital
Steel Town Promotions
StoneMor Partners (sales)
Strayer University
Taco Bell
Transitional Services
U.S. Army R.O.T.C.
U.S. Home Systems (remodeling sales and marketing)
U.S. Navy
United Health Group (Claims Representative Associates)
United Insurance
UPMC
Valvoline Oil Change Centers
VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System
Verizon
Wyotech
YWCA