The Tri Cities employment rates are still looking up. Last month employment was at 96,800 nonfarm jobs, up 3.9% from last year at the same time when there were 93,200 nonfarm jobs. Employment numbers were also up between months with a 1,400 increase in nonfarm jobs between February and March. Employment growth over the past year occurred in fields like, manufacturing, professional and business services, retail trade and the government sector. The growth between February and March occurred in trade, transportation, warehousing and utilities sector, retail trade industry, administrative and support services, and the leisure and hospitality industry. There was no change seen in the financial jobs or in construction jobs. Benton and Franklin Counties saw a total increase of 4.24% over the past year with the unemployment rate at 8.2%.
According to Candice Bluechel, the business outreach manager at WorkSource, employers are looking for individuals with varying backgrounds and expertise such as, plumbers, pipe fitters, steamfitters, medical aides, network technicians, bookkeepers, diesel mechanics, office staff, customer service representatives, merchandisers, managers and landscape workers. Managers from area businesses are saying that business is continuing to look up and costumers are beginning to buy more big ticket items. As we move more into spring and summer there will most likely be even more employment opportunities opening up, Bluechel hopes this is the case.
The Tri Cities employment is doing much better than the state or even the nation. Over the past year Washington State has had about 67,800, 2.4%, fewer nonfarm jobs last month than last year at the same time. Nationally there has been a decrease in jobs by about 1.8%. Unemployment rates in counties across the state are ranging anywhere from 8.1% in King County to 15.7% in Pend Oreille.
Joe and Colleen Lane Tri Cities Washington Real Estate Agents
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