
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, January 28, 1995                   TAG: 9501300030
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JEFF STURGEON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

AREA RECORDS 4,600-JOB GAIN

The Roanoke area's economy is creating jobs faster than anywhere in the state except for Northern Virginia, a trend caused by growth in retail and wholesale trade and service businesses, state labor officials said Friday.

The region gained 4,600 jobs during the 12 months that ended Nov. 30, the Virginia Employment Commission said.

That's a gain of 3.5 percent, second only to Northern Virginia's rate of 3.7 percent.

The new jobs included 2,300 in trade and 1,900 in services.

``Business services seem to be growing because of the information superhighway,'' said William Mezger, senior economist at the VEC. ``There's more emphasis on information-generating activities now, firms that are providing computer services and advertising [and] management services.''

Health care employment is not expanding as fast as it has been, but was up by 200 jobs, he said.

Also, the Roanoke area's many stores are where many in Western Virginia shop. So, when stores hire extra help for the holidays and do so earlier than in the past - as they did last year - employment rises significantly, officials said.

Manufacturing firms added 500 employees, Mezger said, while builders hired 300 people, the result of warmer-than-usual weather in November and low interest rates.

by CNB