Job growth expected to stay strong

A key economic indicator the number of new jobs created in the local economy points to continued boom times in northern Nevada for the remainder of this decade.

The Nevada Department of Employment,Training and Rehabilitation this month estimated that the Reno area will see job growth that averages 2.5 percent a year during this decade.

That's more than double the national estimate of 1.1 percent annual growth.

That percentage translates into 52,734 new jobs in the region between 2000 and 2010 and new jobs spur demand for everything from homes to fast-food.

Another way of looking at the projection is this: The state estimates that more than 100 new jobs a week will be created in Washoe County in this decade.

Joe Reel, an economist with the state department of employment, noted last week that recent job growth in Washoe County has been below the projected figure for the decade.

In July, for instance, the number of jobs had grown by only 1.4 percent over the same month a year ago.

Nevertheless, employment economists, both at the state level and in the federal government, remain confident that the 2.5 percent figure is realistic as they expect the northern Nevada economy to perk up.

The projections by the state employment economists hint, too, at the ways the northern Nevada economy is changing.

They gathered information from more than 9,000 employers across the state about the prospects for nearly 800 occupations.

Among the occupations that aren't expected to grow much are those associated with gaming and entertainment.

The state economists project, for instance, that the decade will see the addition of no new jobs for waiters, restaurant hostesses or cooks.

Bartenders and gaming dealers also will be among the slowest-growing occupations in Washoe County.

The job is the highest demand in the Reno area, the state economists found, will be computer support specialists.

That occupation is projected to grow by 9.2 percent a year as 750 new jobs are created annually.

Other fast-growing positions are expected to be college teachers with growth in the 5 percent annual range and fast-food workers.

Among executive positions, the state economists projected the greatest demand will be for sales managers.

Those jobs, which pay an average of about $72,000 a year, are projected to grow by 4.4 percent a year.

That's 288 new positions a year.

Statewide, economists project that Nevada will add more than 385,000 jobs during the decade as the result of business expansions or new businesses moving to the state.

The majority of those new jobs 315,000 of them, to be exact are expected to be developed in the Las Vegas area.

Even rural counties, however, are expected to see job growth through the decade.

By 2010, the state economists estimate that Nevada's economy will involve 1.48 million jobs compared with 1.1 million at the start of the decade.

Job growth in Washoe County A look at a sample of occupations Annual openings % growth Average due to growth 2000-2010 annual wage Auto mechanics 506 34.7 $38,038 Fitness instructors 22 34.4 $20,803 Semi-trailer truck drivers 786 33.5 $36,892 Accountants 36 31.2 $45,786 Construction laborers 576 30.7 $36,147 Retail salespersons 164 27.8 $22,625 Shipping, receiving clerks 55 26.9 $24,086 Real estate agents 19 25.9 $36,921 Executive secretaries 39 21.6 $32,461 Waiters and waitresses 0 -1.1 $13,532 Source: Nevada Department of Employment and Training For full survey, see wwww.nevadajobconnect.com