Sept. 1 - State Job Vacancies Climb 32 Percent

ST. PAUL – Minnesota employers reported 41,400 job vacancies in the second quarter of 2010, up 32 percent from the same period a year ago, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

The findings, contained in the agency’s twice-annual Job Vacancy Survey, also showed that the state had 4.8 unemployed people for each vacancy during the second quarter, compared with 7.9 unemployed people for each job vacancy at the same time last year.

“While we are still in the early stages of economic recovery, the survey indicates that the job market is beginning to improve statewide,” said DEED Commissioner Dan McElroy. “This is the first decrease in the number of unemployed people per vacancy in Minnesota since the second quarter of 2006.”

The most openings were in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, where 23,800 job vacancies (58 percent of the total) were reported. The other 17,600 vacancies were in Greater Minnesota. Job vacancies increased 26 percent from a year ago in the Twin Cities and 37 percent in Greater Minnesota.

The Twin Cities had 4.4 unemployed people for each job vacancy, while Greater Minnesota had 5.4 unemployed people per job vacancy.

The most job vacancies in the second quarter were in the health care and social assistance sector (20 percent of the total), followed by retail trade (12 percent), accommodation and food services (11 percent), educational services (10 percent) and manufacturing (9 percent)

Firms with 50 or more workers accounted for 61 percent of the job vacancies, while businesses with 10 to 49 workers had 26 percent of the vacancies and those with fewer than 10 workers had 13 percent of the vacancies.

About 42 percent of the job vacancies were for part-time employment, which is defined as fewer than 35 hours a week. Temporary or seasonal work accounted for 21 percent of the job vacancies.

Data for the Job Vacancy Survey were gathered through a sample of about 13,000 firms in the state and the response rate was 70 percent.

The full report can be found online at www.PositivelyMinnesota.com/jvs.

DEED is the state’s principal economic development agency, promoting business recruitment, expansion and retention, workforce development, international trade and community development. For more details about the agency and our services, visit us at www.PositivelyMinnesota.com.

Upon request, the information in this news release is available in an alternative format such as Braille, large print, audiotape or computer disk.

Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
Communications Office
Phone 651/259-7161 or 1-800-657-3858 ∙ TTY 1-800-657-3973
www.PositivelyMinnesota.com