Metro Abq Adds Jobs in June, Other Three Metros Lose

Metro Albuquerque added 3,200 wage jobs in the year from May 2012 to May 2013, the biggest year over year increase since 2007, the Department of Workforce Services reported Friday. The other news is that the state’s other three metro areas—Las Cruces, Santa Fe and Farmington—each lost 300 jobs, reducing the metro net gain to 2,300.
Statewide the increase was 7,800 jobs, or one percent. That means the 26 rural counties together found 5,500 more jobs during the year. It has been five years since New Mexico showed a one percent year over year increase, DWS said. The pace brings us back to what is regarded here as mediocre growth, something DWS did not say.
The one percent growth ties us with four other states for 32nd place in the national ranking of job growth. Only Wyoming and Alaska lost jobs during the May to May year.
Our neighbors were four of the top six states in job growth. Arizona was 6th with 2.1%; Colorado, 5th at 2.2%; Utah 3rd at 2.6%; and Texas 2nd at 2.7%.
The federal and local governments dropped 1,900 jobs during the year. State government added 1,100 jobs (Thank you, Gov. Martinez, I think) to reduce the overall government sector loss to 800. The state government education sector, about half of total state government, lost 400 jobs during the year.
Even as the manufacturing outlook improves a little nationwide, the sector suffers here. Manufacturing dropped 1,100 jobs statewide with more than 80% of the losses, or 900 jobs, coming in metro Albuquerque. Las Cruces and Santa Fe each lost 100 manufacturing jobs. DWS does not provide individual sector totals for Farmington, but the private sector lost 300 jobs in Farmington in the May to May year.
The three larger metro areas claim 20,300 manufacturing jobs, of 71% of the 28,400 jobs statewide. While manufacturing is small in total number of jobs at 28,400, it is an important member of the core or basic part of any area economy. In other words, Albuquerque’s manufacturing sector isn’t helping the state’s recovery one bit.
Leisure and hospitality (tourism) continued to lead sector growth statewide, followed construction (surprise), education and health services and financial.
Albuquerque’s construction sector added 1,200 jobs, just behind the 1,300 new tourism jobs.