New job numbers released by the New York State Labor Department are fueling some optimism - Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports...
The figures show private-sector employment in the Hudson Valley increased by 16-thousand 500, or 2.2 percent, to 761-thousand-900 during the 12-month period ending July 2012.
The Putnam-Rockland-Westchester metro area experienced the greatest job growth at 3.1 percent. That area ranked third of the 14 New York state metro areas rated by the state Department of Labor.
John Nelson is the NYS Dept. of Labor market Analyst for the Hudson Valley Region
Dan Moran of Career-management firm NextAct of Colonie weighs in
John Nelson explains that "leisure and hospitality" led employment gains in the Hudson Valley
NextAct's Dan Moran says this is a promising time for job seekers
Despite the good news, The Labor Department's John Nelson says job counts effectively "flatlined" in some counties
Nelson adds the Dutchess-Orange metro area showed just point-2 percent job growth, and the Hudson Valley government sector shed 3,300 jobs over the year, "budget cuts and crises at local levels to blame" --- other job losses were seen in natural resources, mining and construction (down 2900); manufacturing (down 1100); and information (down 700).
