Old Cheezhead

Milwaukee Jobs WI Supported by Three Bills

Three new laws will help increase Milwaukee jobs WI.

Gov. Jim Doyle recently approved the Wisconsin Green to Gold Fund, a $100 million revolving loan fund that will streamline state and federal resources in order to help manufacturing companies reduce their energy costs, improve their bottom line and create jobs.

"My top priority has been and will continue to be helping businesses create jobs and giving our workers the opportunities to get those jobs," Doyle said. "The Green to Gold fund provides low interest loans to Wisconsin's manufacturers to help them reduce their energy costs, improve their bottom line, and create and retain jobs. This is a unique program, and a great example of Wisconsin's leading role in helping businesses compete and succeed in a global economy."

Doyle also signed two other job-creating bills into law.

The first bill, Senate Bill 514, adds three projects to the 2009-2011 state building program, which is meant to expand research and science education at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.

The projects include:

• Construction of the Freshwater Sciences Initiative research building and the purchase of a replacement for the Neeskay research vessel.

• Construction of a Kenwood Integrated Research complex.

• Acquisition and redevelopment of the St. Mary's Columbia campus medical facilities.

The second bill, Assembly Bill 898, expands the trial and transitional jobs program by using federal funding to help low-income adults gain the job skills and working experience they need to succeed in today's economy.

Phoenix Jobs Among Best for College Grads

The availability of Phoenix jobs and cheap living have made the city one of the best for recent college graduates.

Apartments.com and CareerRookie.com recently ranked Phoenix second on the list of the "Top 10 Best Cities for Recent College Graduates." The report compared the cost of renting an apartment, concentration of young adults, and the cities' job inventory as of March - especially jobs that require less than one year of experience.

One positive for Phoenix is that, even though the city was hit hard by the economic downturn and housing crash, its unemployment rate remains below the national average.

During March, the Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale area's unemployment rate decreased from 9.2 percent to 8.9 percent after remaining steady for two months in a row. That decrease keeps the area's rate below the national average at the time of 9.7 percent.

The Phoenix area had a total non-farm employment of 1,700,100 workers during March, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 1,695,400 workers during February, but a 3.4 percent decrease from last year.

In addition, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Phoenix is $669 per month, which is lower than every city, except Cincinnati's average of $669 per month. The price also is much lower than the $1,319 average in Los Angeles and the $1,366 average in New York.

About 200 major metro areas were considered for the list. Atlanta was ranked first, followed by Phoenix, Denver, Dallas, Boston, Philadelphia, New York, Cincinnati, Baltimore and Los Angeles.

Orlando Teaching Jobs, Medical Jobs Increase Over the Year

Even though the area's unemployment rate dropped and more businesses hired workers during the month, Orlando teaching jobs and medical jobs were among the only industry to see a yearly increase in employment during March.

That month, the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford area's unemployment rate decreased from 12.6 percent to 12.1 percent after remaining steady for two months in a row. Despite the latest decrease, the area's rate is still higher than the national average of 9.7 percent.

The Orlando area had a total non-farm employment of 998,200 workers during March, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 991,800 workers during February, but a 2.8 percent decrease from last year.

Eight industries managed to see a monthly increase in employment, including: construction by 600 jobs; manufacturing by 100 jobs; trade, transportation and utilities by 1,300 jobs; professional and business services by 1,400 jobs; education and health services by 1,000 jobs; leisure and hospitality by 2,100 jobs; other services by 100 jobs; and government by 100 jobs.

Employment in the information industry remained even over the month with 24,200 jobs, while employment in the leisure and hospitality industry remained even over the year with 192,300 jobs, and employment in the mining and logging industry remained even over the month and year with 200 jobs.

Only one industry managed to see a yearly increase in employment. The education and health services industry employed 119,900 workers during March, up from 118,900 workers during February and a 1.8 percent increase from March 2009.

Despite increasing employment over the month to 47,700 jobs, the construction industry took the biggest hit when compared to last year, losing 20 percent of its workforce between March 2009 and March 2010.

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

• Manufacturing by 5.4 percent
• Trade, transportation and utilities by 3.9 percent
• Information by 6.2 percent
• Financial activities by 3.4 percent
• Professional and business services by 2.4 percent
• Other services by 1.6 percent
• Government by .7 percent