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

DATE: FRIDAY, September 29, 1995                   TAG: 9509290050
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A-9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JEFF STURGEON
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

LOCAL EMPLOYMENT RISES 3.6 PERCENT OVER MID-'94

Employment in the Roanoke metropolitan area stood at 139,400 in July, up 3.6 percent from a year earlier, state labor officials said Thursday.

Trade and service industries accounted for most of the 4,800 new jobs during the 12-month period ending July 31, the Virginia Employment Commission said. The figures are for Roanoke, Salem and Roanoke and Botetourt counties.

Trade employment swelled by 2,300 positions, or 6.6 percent. Trade jobs include those at stores, restaurants, bars and wholesalers.

Service employment increased by 1,000, or 2.6 percent. The category includes engineers, business consultants and management experts. These professions make up this area's fastest growing service-job category with a combined growth rate of 12.9 percent. These jobs pay an average of $27,335 yearly based on the latest wage figures, which were current as of December.

Government was responsible for 500 additional jobs, while construction and manufacturing employment each rose by 400 positions.

The Roanoke metro area ranked second among eight regions in the state in terms of job growth. The Richmond-Petersburg area had the state's fastest-growing job market.

by CNB