Survey: Local Job Growth Outlook Good

Survey: Local Job Growth Outlook Good
By RACHEL RASKIN-ZRIHEN/Times-Herald staff writer
Vallejo Times Herald

Local job growth in the next quarter is predicted to be better than that of either the region or the state, a newly released industry study shows.

The latest Manpower, Inc. Employment Outlook Survey shows Solano/Napa county area employers expect a net jobs gain of 36 percent, said spokeswoman Sherrie Phillipi. That beats Northern California's 32 percent and the statewide 27 percent, the study shows.

The survey's results are a significant improvement over the last quarter's survey, Phillipi said.

"We weren't robust in quarters one or two, so we will have a more robust job market in the third quarter," she said. "We're holding our own and doing good."

About 43 percent of Solano and Napa county employers surveyed said they expect to hire new workers in the upcoming quarter, while 7 percent expect to reduce their workforces and half predict no change, the survey showed.

The best job prospects for the coming quarter appear to be in construction, manufacturing, transportation-public utilities, wholesale-retail trade, finance-insurance-real estate and public administration.

The Manpower employment outlook survey is conducted quarterly to measure employers' intentions to increase or decrease the number of employers in their workforce during the next quarter. Locally, Phillipi said she polled 24 large companies.

E-mail Rachel Raskin-Zrihen at RachelZ@thnewsnet.com or call 553-6824.