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Federal stimulus funding is helping to support thousands of Portland education jobs and many other workers and unemployed individuals throughout the state.

During the last three months, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has provided $200 million to support about 6,150 jobs throughout Oregon, and has injected a total of $462 million into the local economy during Q3 2010.

The ARRA has paid for the salaries of more than 4,000 Oregon teaching jobs in K-12 schools and higher education institutions. The stimulus plan also has funded energy efficiency, renewable energy, and transportation projects throughout the state.

"These investments are continuing to put people to work," Gov. Ted Kulongoski said. "By creating employment opportunities, the federal funding is helping individual Oregonians provide for their families in a way that is also improving our communities."

The ARRA also has helped with:

• Low-Income Weatherization program - This initiative provided 129 jobs for Oregon residents during Q2 2010. The program has weatherized 1,428 homes and hired 98 individual contracting firms so far.
• State Energy Program - About $525,000 has been invested in 200 energy efficiency and renewable energy projects that will create jobs and save costs.
• Oregon Department of Transportation - The ARRA invested $34 million for highway, road, bridge, and public transit projects that created or saved 310 jobs during Q2 2010. More than $270 million in federal funding is slated to support more than 350 projects throughout Oregon.
• Oregon Employment Department - Federal funding helped WorkSource Oregon centers to hire 32 employees during Q2 2010 in order to provide job search help to more than 137,000 local residents.
• Unemployment benefits - Since it was signed into law in February 2009, the ARRA has provided about $1.9 billion in assistance to Oregon families in need of unemployment benefits, healthcare, and food stamps.

Labels: Portland education jobs

Anyone looking for Salt Lake City work may soon be able to apply for jobs with one of the most popular social networking sites in the world.

Twitter recently announced its plans to move the company's data center operations to Salt Lake City. Company officials say the new center is necessary to help keep up with growth, as Twitter has been hindered by computer-capacity issues as of late.

According to an article by The Salt Lake Tribune, Twitter has not yet revealed exactly how many employees will be hired to work in the new data center, but Twitter Spokesman Matt Graves did say the company would be hiring locally for the new jobs.

Twitter's social networking site allows people to post 140 character messages that are shared with the user's network. An average of 300,000 people sign up for Twitter accounts each day, which has been hard on the company's computing capacity.

"Keeping pace with these users and their Twitter activity presents some unique and complex engineering challenges," Jean-Paul Cozzatti, engineering program manager for Twitter, said. "Having dedicated data centers will give us more capacity to accommodate this growth in users and activity on Twitter."

The Salt Lake City area could certainly use the additional jobs. During May, the city's unemployment rate increased from 6.8 percent to 7.8 percent, keeping it below the national average at the time of 9.7 percent.

Salt Lake City had a total non-farm employment of 600,300 workers during June, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 595,800 workers during May, but a 1.1 percent decrease from last year.

Labels: Sale Lake City work

Those looking for Miami nursing jobs may have had some luck as of late, as the area's education and health services industry was one of only two sectors to add jobs on a monthly basis during May.

That month, the Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall area's unemployment rate increased from 11.4 percent to 12.3 percent, following a decrease from 12 percent during April. That increase keeps the areas rate above the national average at the time of 9.7 percent.

The Miami area had a total non-farm employment of 981,500 workers during May, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 978,400 workers during April and only a 1 percent decrease from last year.

Only two industries managed to add jobs between April and May. The government industry grew the most, adding 3,700 workers for a total employment of 160,100, while the trade, transportation and utilities industry added 1,300 jobs for a total of 243,800 workers.

Employment in the manufacturing and information industries remained even over the month with 35,300 jobs 16,700 jobs, respectively. Employment in the mining and logging industry remained even over the month and year with 300 jobs.

At the same time, only two industries added jobs over the year during May. The government industry increased by 3.6 percent, while the education and health services industry grew by 2.2 percent to 160,500 workers.

The information industry took the biggest hit when compared to last year, losing 10.2 percent of its workforce between May 2009 and May 2010. Construction was a close second, losing 10.1 percent of its workforce over the year for a total of 34,000 jobs.

Other industries that saw an over-the-year decrease in employment include:

• Manufacturing by 6.9 percent
• Financial activities by 6.7 percent
• Other services by 4 percent
• Professional and business services by 1.1 percent
• Trade, transportation and utilities by 1 percent
• Leisure and hospitality by .7 percent

Labels: Miami nursing jobs

The Nevada unemployment situation is continuing to get worse.

During May, Nevada's unemployment rate increased from 13.7 percent to 14 percent, following an increase from 13.4 percent during April. That decrease keeps the state's rate well above the national average at the time of 9.7 percent.

Nevada had a total non-farm employment of 1,119,800 workers during May, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 1,119,200 workers during April, but a 2.5 percent decrease from last year.

Only four industries added jobs between April and May. The government industry added the most workers over the month, increasing by 3,900 jobs, for a total employment of 159,200.

Other industries that saw a monthly increase in employment include: manufacturing by 300 jobs; information by 100 jobs; and other services by 100 jobs.

Five industries experienced a yearly increase in employment during May. The professional and business services industry saw the biggest growth, increasing by 2.2 percent over the year, for a total of 136,800 jobs.

The education and health services industry grew by 2.1 percent to 98,600 jobs. The other services and mining and logging industries increased by .9 percent each to 34,300 jobs and 11,700 jobs, respectively. The government industry rose by .5 percent over the year.

The construction industry took the biggest hit when compared to last year, losing 23 percent of its workforce between May 2009 and May 2010, for a current total employment of 63,300.

Other industries that saw an over-the-year decrease in employment include:

• Information by 6.1 percent
• Financial activities by 6.1 percent
• Trade, transportation and utilities by 2.5 percent
• Manufacturing by 2.2 percent
• Leisure and hospitality by 1.9 percent

Labels: Nevada unemployment

A need to create Chicago jobs is allowing at least one big box store to develop in the city.

The City Council zoning committee recently approved plans for a second Wal-Mart on the south side of Chicago, where the company has been trying to build for about six years. Wal-Mart's efforts were previously turned down by Chicago's business community, unions and city officials.

The new Super Wal-Mart will be constructed on the 270-acre Pullman Park development. Some officials in support of the project say the new store will bring much-needed jobs and serve an area that is lacking grocery stores.

"Today's vote sets the stage for a strong, long-term relationship with Wal-Mart in neighborhoods all across the city," Mayor Richard Daley told the Chicago Tribune. "If it can happen in a suburban area, why not here? As simple as that."

Part of the reason the vote was approved is that Wal-Mart promised to pay all entry-level employees a minimum of $8.75 per hour and give raises of 40 percent to 60 percent per hour to employees who work with the company for one year.

Wal-Mart also plans to hire the majority of workers for the new store locally and use unionized construction workers to build the facility.

"Today is a victory for the residents of the South Side," Hank Mullany, executive vice president of the northern region for Wal-Mart, said. "But there is more to do. To that end, we have already started to identify additional opportunities across the city that will help more Chicagoans save money and live better.

"Over the next several months, we look forward to working with the city to help ensure our stores are part of the solution in terms of creating jobs, stimulating economic development and eradicating food deserts here," he added.

The only other Wal-Mart in Chicago, located on the city's West Side, was approved in 2004. A proposed store on the South Side was rejected at that time. However, the company now has a five-year plan that would result in several stores throughout Chicago, including small grocery and pharmacy stores.

That plan would ultimately cost Wal-mart about $1 billion, create 10,000 permanent jobs, and increase sales and property tax collections by tens of millions of dollars.

Labels: Chicago jobs

Thousands of San Diego government jobs were added during May as the city's unemployment rate continued to decline.

During May, the San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos area's unemployment rate decreased from 10.4 percent to 10 percent, following a decrease from 11 percent during April. Despite the latest decrease, the area's rate was still higher than the national average at the time of 9.7 percent.

The San Diego area had a total non-farm employment of 1,225,000 workers during May, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 1,216,600 workers during April, but a 1 percent decrease from last year.

The majority of industries added workers between April and May, with only two industries losing jobs. The education and health services and financial activities industries each lost 100 workers over the month. Employment in the mining and logging industry remained even over the month with 300 jobs.

The government industry added the most workers between April and May, increasing by 4,300 jobs, for a total employment of 231,100. The leisure and hospitality industry saw the second-biggest monthly increase, growing by 2,000 workers, for a total of 155,300 jobs.

Other industries that added workers over the month include:

• Construction by 700 jobs
• Other services by 500 jobs
• Manufacturing by 300 jobs
• Trade, transportation and utilities by 300 jobs
• Professional and business services by 300 jobs
• Information by 200 jobs

Only three industries managed to see a yearly increase in employment during May. The education and health services industry increased by 2.5 percent to 146,500 jobs, while the government industry grew by .9 percent, and the professional and business services industry rose by .3 percent to 197,500 workers.

The mining and logging industry took the biggest hit when compared to last year, losing 25 percent of its workforce between May 2009 and May 2010.

Other industries that saw an over-the-year decrease in employment include:

• Construction by 6.1 percent
• Manufacturing by 4.4 percent
• Financial activities by 3.7 percent
• Information by 2.7 percent
• Trade, transportation and utilities by 2.2 percent
• Other services by 1.3 percent
• Leisure and hospitality by 1 percent

Labels: San Diego government jobs

One of the most popular online travel sites is working to create Las Vegas jobs (Click here).

Expedia, Inc. was planning to hire 130 employees at the company's Las Vegas operations by the end of June, increasing the company's local workforce to 500 employees. Many of the operational functions of the company's travel brands - including Expedia.com, Hotels.com and Egencia - are supported through the Las Vegas office.

The majority of the new positions will be for travel agents and support staff to serve Egencia, the corporate travel department of Expedia, which offers corporate travel accounts for companies throughout the world.

"Extending our service network into Las Vegas is a key part of our strategy and ability to support clients worldwide," Noah Tratt, vice president of Egencia Americas, said. "Egencia has been pleased with the wealth of talent and experience in Nevada. We are looking forward to expanding our service center here and bringing jobs to the area."

Officials say Expedia will benefit from incentives offered under the new Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act, which is meant to create or restore jobs for previously unemployed workers.

"Expedia has long been a partner of the Las Vegas travel and tourism industry, and we are pleased to be able to add jobs in this community," Michael Reichartz, Las Vegas-based vice president of market management for Expedia, said.

"This expansion means new jobs for 130 Nevadans and we are hopeful for further growth, which is always something to celebrate," he continued. "We applaud Senator (Harry) Reid for his leadership in passing the HIRE Act, which has assisted us with this expansion."

Labels: Las Vegas jobs