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

DATE: SATURDAY, February 4, 1995                   TAG: 9502060040
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JEFF STURGEON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

ROANOKE'S JOBLESS RATE AT 4-YEAR LOW

Unemployment in the Roanoke metropolitan area fell last year to its lowest point since 1990, state labor officials said Friday.

The benchmark averaged 4 percent last year, down from 4.7 percent in 1993, 5.2 percent in 1992 and 4.9 percent in 1991, said William Mezger, senior economist at the Virginia Employment Commission. The rate was 3.5 percent in 1990.

"It's great news," said Brian Duncan, assistant economic development director for Roanoke County. "It's exactly what we would expect."

Local companies filled nearly 5,000 jobs last year, but the work force is growing short of people to fill the lowest-paying positions.

The region also posted a low December jobless rate of 3.9 percent, despite construction layoffs with the onset of winter weather.

Virginia posted a rate of 4.4 percent in December. The U.S. rate was 5.4 percent.

Analysts said the Roanoke area had slightly higher unemployment in January because of stores laying off holiday help. Figures have not been released.

The business services industry - offering management consulting, engineering and the like - is growing faster than any other sector. It added 1,800 of the 4,900 jobs that opened in the area last year, the VEC said.

It's a field that economists hope will keep growing, because starting engineers make about $10 an hour. Those trained in specialties such as environmental work earn more.

Other top job-producing industries last year were manufacturing, construction, retail and wholesale trade, communications and utilities, the VEC said.

Statewide, average weekly wages for production workers rose to $488.62 in December, up $3.69 from November and $24.79 from a year earlier, officials said.