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Boston Jobs Account for Majority of State Gains
By carpenjl | August 5, 2008
Although national and statewide unemployment rates are up, Massachusetts has managed to flourish, particularly by adding more Boston jobs.
In July, according to a Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development Division of Unemployment Assistance article, 10 of the 12 labor market areas in Massachusetts showed job gains, with seasonal gains reported in construction, trade, transportation and utilities, professional, scientific and business services and leisure and hospitality.
The Boston-Cambridge-Quincy area added the most new jobs in July, and there also have been more new jobs in Boston this year than last year.
In June, the state’s unemployment rate came in at 5.2 percent, higher than the May rate of 4.9 percent and last year’s rate of 4.6 percent. Despite this, the state’s unemployment rate was still lower than the national unemployment rate of 5.5 percent, and Massachusetts added 2,900 jobs in June. The state has gained jobs in eight of the last nine months.
Statewide, the biggest job gain was in the leisure and hospitality industry, which added 2,500 jobs in June. With 304,600 employees, this industry has increased by 2,100 jobs from last year, showing larger-than-expected gains in arts, entertainment and recreation and accommodation and food services.
The education and health services industry added 200 jobs, and the rise in employment offset higher than usual seasonal declines in colleges and universities. The industry currently employs 636,400 people, an increase of 2.1 percent from last year. This industry continues to add the most new jobs and have the highest annual growth rate of any industry in the state.
The construction industry added 700 jobs for the month, the industry’s biggest increase since May 2007. At 134,700 employees, jobs in the industry have decreased 2.3 percent from last year. The manufacturing industry added 300 jobs in June, but at 292,300 employees is down 1.1 percent from last year.
Jobs in the professional, scientific and business services industry were unchanged for the month at 489,400 employees, an increase of 1.4 percent from last year. The financial activities industry also was unchanged at 223,500 employees, a decrease of 1,800 jobs from last year.
The trade, transportation and utilities industry lost jobs, with 568,000 workers, a decrease of 4,200 jobs from last year. The information industry also lost 200 jobs in June, although the industry has added 1,500 jobs throughout the year and has the second-highest annual growth rate at 1.7 percent.
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