Wood expects positive hiring

By BRETT DUNLAP, bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com
PARKERSBURG — Wood County is expected to have a better-than-average hiring season going into the summer months, according to a report from Workforce West Virginia.

In April, Wood County remained at an average unemployment rate of 5.4 compared to the rest of the state, according to the Labor Market Information by West Virginia County April 2008 report.

It unemployment rate stayed on an even tract with March, which was also 5.4, the report said, adding the county has seen the unemployment rate rise from from this time last year when it was 4.6 in April 2007.

‘‘The state unemployment rate inched downward one-tenth of a percentage point to 5.2 percent in April 2008,’’ the report said. ‘‘Well over half of all counties reported declining unemployment rates as well.’’

According to the report, employment in Wood County went from 38,430 in March to 39,180 in April. The number was at 38,910 in April 2007. The civilian labor force in Wood County had gone up slightly from 40,610 in March to 41,410 in April. The labor force was at 40,800 in April 2007.

The local Workforce West Virginia office have seen an increase in manufacturing jobs locally, said Kim Woods, Employment Programs Manager.

They have also seen a greater demand for lawncare/landscape work and construction jobs.

‘‘We always have a far greater demand for construction jobs when the weather gets warmer,’’ she said.

With the Blennerhassett Island Bridge scheduled to be completed and opened in June, Woods said they expected construction jobs to remain constaint as other construction projects are getting started throughout the area.

Workforce West Virginia has also held job fairs for groups seeking qualified nurses. ‘‘Nurses are still being actively recruited,’’ Woods said.

According to the report, the number of counties recording an unemployment rate considered much worse than average when compared to the state rose in April. This group included Ritchie (7.3), Tyler (7.4), Mason (7.4), Wetzel (7.6), McDowell (7.6), Clay (7.7), Roane (7.9), Calhoun (8.1) and Pocahontas (11.9).

Woods said a number of industries throughout the area have made cutbacks in their workforce for a number of reasons.

The number of counties reporting an unemployment rate considered better than average when compared to the state rate nearly doubled. This group included Upshur (4.6), Gilmer (4.5), Cabell (4.3), Kanawha (4.3), Marion (4.3), Preston (4.3) and Putnam (3.9).

Only one county, Monongalia (3.3) reported an unemployment rate considered much better than average when compared to the state rate, according to the report.

It is still not known how rising gas prices will affect the area’s employment over the summer, Woods said.