Jobs Picture Brightens

Health care, retail, technology and construction fuel Washington’s job growth.

Steve Reno | March 2011 | FROM THE PRINT EDITION

Although the unemployment rate in Washington remains stalled at around 9 percent, the job market here is far from stagnant. About 26,800 new employees joined the workforce in Washington between November 2009 and November 2010, among the highest increases in employment in the country. A few key industries are fueling the expansion.

According to a report from the Employment Security Department, the health care sector remains the leader in job growth in Washington state, adding about 3,800 jobs in 2010. The retail industry also did well, with general merchandise stores adding 2,300 jobs and clothing stores adding 1,200 jobs during the past year.

Technology is a flagship industry for the local economy; computer systems design and related services added 3,100 jobs last year. Several tech companies, including Facebook, Hulu, Zynga, Dataram and NewBay, established offices and started hiring in the Seattle area during the past year. Homegrown tech companies also ramped up hiring, with Amazon adding 9,500 jobs nationally between the third quarter of 2009 and the third quarter of 2010.

There is also good news from the construction industry. According to the quarterly employment report from Robert Half International (RHI), 12 percent of construction industry executives interviewed said they expect to hire in 2011. RHI district president Josh Warborg says some of this growth can be attributed to projects that are finally beginning to break ground due to funding by federal stimulus money. The $1.96 billion project to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a deep-bore tunnel has begun, and is expected to generate more than 5,000 jobs.

Hiring in the construction sector is essential to putting a dent in the jobless rate, but Warborg adds that job creation will have to pick up in other areas as well.

“For there to be a significant drop in unemployment, we’re going to need all sectors firing on all cylinders,” he says. “It definitely won’t be one sector that will carry us out.”