August 24, 2010

Pennsylvania construction employment benefits from stimulus

HARRISBURG, PA.

The United States Department of Labor & Industry reports Pennsylvania construction employment rose by 2,400 in July.

Private sector employers in Pennsylvania added 3,400 jobs in July but more needs to be done to dig out of the national economic doldrums, says that state’s governor.

“Since the beginning of the year, we’ve added 52,400 private-sector jobs,” said Governor Edward G. Rendell. “Hiring is occurring, but we need to accelerate the pace and do more to put Pennsylvanians back to work by making targeted investments in our transportation infrastructure that will create tens of thousands of jobs.”

Rendell illustrated the value of infrastructure investments by highlighting the fact that in July more than 8,400 Pennsylvanians were working directly on nearly 200 projects funded by federal stimulus investments.

More than 3,000 people were working in indirect jobs — jobs making steel, concrete and asphalt, most of which is made in Pennsylvania — to support those road and bridge projects. That means nearly 12,000 people were employed because of road and bridge investments.

DCN News Services

Print | Email | Comment