
DATE: Sunday, September 7, 1997             TAG: 9709050782

SECTION: BUSINESS                PAGE: D4   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: HAMPTON ROADS ALMANAC '97

SOURCE: BY MICHAEL CLARK, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   40 lines

EMPLOYMENT FORD AND SCHOOLS ADD HUNDREDS OF JOBS

Ford Motor Co.'s Norfolk assembly plant might not seem to have much in common with the school systems in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach, but all three have seen significant gains in employees since 1994.

The Ford plant added 600 jobs in the last three years because it was the lead plant for the recent launch of the F series pickup truck.

``There's a strong demand for the truck,'' said Ford spokesman Bill Day.

Virginia Beach's growing population brought more children into public schools, and more employees into the school system. The city employed 9,300 people in the school system through September 1997, up from 8,758 in 1994. Chesapeake public schools also grew, from 4,040 employees in 1994 to 4,700 now.

Not every employer gained jobs. The Hampton Public School System had more employees in 1994 than in 1997 and private employers Newport News Shipbuilding and Virginia Power also have fewer employees in 1997 than in 1994. MEMO: BUSINESS ALMANAC ILLUSTRATION: Graphics

The Virginian-Pilot

PUBLIC EMPLOYERS

A sampling of the region's largest public-sector employers, in order

of number of current employees, compared to reported 1994

employment.

PRIVATE EMPLOYERS

A sampling of the region's largest non-government employers, in

order of number of current employees, compared to reported 1994

employment.

SOURCE: The employers, 1994 Almanac

[For complete graphic, please see microfilm]