Pennsylvania Governor Addresses Local 5 (Pittsburgh PA) Apprentices

Source: Pennsylvania Office of the Governor
Governor Rendell Announces Pennsylvania Job Count Hits New Record High;
Employment Up;
Unemployment Rate Drops to 4.8 Percent in September
Friday October 21, 10:00 am PITTSBURGH, Oct. 21
/PRNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell today announced that there are more jobs in Pennsylvania now than at any time in history. The latest statewide workforce report shows Pennsylvania's job count(1) rose to a record high 5,720,900 in September and the unemployment(2) rate dropped to 4.8 percent.

"This is great news for Pennsylvania," Governor Rendell told a crowd of labor, business and community leaders, and more than 40 apprentices at the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) Apprentice Training Center in Pittsburgh.
"It means we have fully recovered from the job losses of the 2001 recession and our economy continues to create new economic opportunities. We've added jobs for the last seven months straight and for 12 out of the last 13 months.
"I am gratified by the good news reflected in these numbers and they are a credit to the Department of Community and Economic Development and the Governor's Action Team, and show the beginning of the impact of our economic stimulus package," the Governor added.
"In the last 34 months we've seen a net increase of 93,500 jobs. Our investment in businesses and workers across the state has helped push Pennsylvania's job count and employment higher this year than they have ever been," Governor Rendell said.
"When I came to Harrisburg I said we were going to do things differently and we have. We have not let a job lead pass or a company closing go by without aggressively pulling out all the stops to create new opportunities and retain existing jobs. That's why we've been successful," the Governor said.
Pennsylvania's seasonally adjusted nonfarm job count rose by 8,300 in September to a record high 5,720,900 - 1,600 above the previous record set in February 2001. Job growth this year has been especially strong in service providing industries, which posted a record high 4,768,200 jobs.
In September, record high job counts were set in six sectors - construction, education & health services, professional & business services, leisure & hospitality, other services, and government. Also in September, the number of unemployed dropped by 6,000 driving the statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate down two tenths of a percentage point to 4.8 percent. This marks the third time this year the unemployment rate dipped below 5 percent.
Governor Rendell also is scheduled to visit two firms in the Pittsburgh region to announce the creation of nearly 500 new jobs.


The Rendell Administration is committed to creating a first-rate public education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing economic investment to support our communities and businesses. To find out more about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly newsletter, visit his Web site at: http://www.governor.state.pa.us

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry today released "Pennsylvania's Employment Situation: September 2005." To receive a copy call: 717-787-7530.