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

DATE: SATURDAY, August 26, 1995                   TAG: 9508280055
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JEFF STURGEON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

JOBS IN ROANOKE AREA RISE 3.5 PERCENT

The job supply in the cities of Roanoke and Salem and the counties of Roanoke and Botetourt hit 140,600 in June, up 4,700, or 3.5 percent, from a year earlier, the Virginia Employment Commission said. The Charlottesville area led the state in new jobs.

Trade was the greatest source of new jobs in the Roanoke area, up 6 percent, or 2,100 positions. Service jobs rose 4.9 percent, the equivalent of 1,900 positions.

Statewide employment also hit record levels overall. New services jobs were up 4.8 percent, making it the fastest-growing industry.

The service sector includes high-wage employment in business, health and education services. In that subgroup, 21,100 of the 29,700 new jobs were in Northern Virginia.

Construction employment, at 177,100 jobs statewide, hit its highest level since September 1990.

Government employment dropped statewide 2.2 percent, or 13,200 positions, caused partly by Gov. George Allen's efforts to shrink the state bureaucracy and by continuing defense cuts, the VEC said.