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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 21, 1995                   TAG: 9506210099
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JEFF STURGEON
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

ROANOKE REGION POSTS JOB GAINS

The Roanoke metropolitan area gained 5,500 jobs during the 12 months that ended April 30, state labor officials said Tuesday.

The fastest-growing field was professional services, which grew by 13.3 percent, or 1,500 positions, to account for 12,800 of the region's jobs, the Virginia Employment Commission said.

This subgroup is the domain of public relations consultants, surveyors, architects and the like - jobs that paid an hourly wage of nearly $15 during the April to June quarter of 1994, the most recent period for which wages are available.

The Roanoke area, which for the VEC consists of the cities of Roanoke and Salem and Roanoke and Botetourt counties, tied Northern Virginia for second place in statewide job growth in the most recent report. Both areas posted jobs creation at a rate of 4.1 percent, compared with the statewide average of 3 percent.

Adding to the trend, employment at transportation and public utility companies rose by 4.5 percent, or 4,800 jobs; and trade jobs, a large subgroup that includes retail clerks, waiters and waitresses, grew by 5.9 percent, or 2,000 positions. In addition, the region gained 600 manufacturing jobs and 400 finance jobs.

by CNB