Published: January 16, 2008 10:13 am      

Good news on jobs front | Cambria statistic reason to celebrate

When it comes to dissecting the job data put out monthly by our state’s labor department folks, we, too, can be challenged to understand their real meaning.

But when someone tells us the number of jobs in Cambria County were at the highest level in 18 years, we recognize that as something worth celebrating.

And that’s what Linda Thomson did when a reporter gave her the good news.

“Yeah!” exclaimed Thomson, president of Johnstown Area Regional Industries.

While seasonally adjusted unemployment rates fell in November in Cambria and Somerset counties, the last month for which figures are available, the most astounding news was that the number of jobs in Cambria rose by 400, to 62,500, the highest it has been since 1990.

“It’s been very positive,” said Thomson, adding that she expected the growth trend to continue.

We hope she’s right. The next figures from the state Center for Workforce Information and Analysis should be available in less than two weeks.

Also good news is that the unemployment rates for both counties dropped – Cambria’s by 0.7 of a percentage point to 4.9 percent, and Somerset’s to 4.9 from 5.7. Most counties in the state dropped by 0.5 of a percentage point.

It sure feels like our region’s economy is on the way up, doesn’t it? And now we’re getting some figures that tell is it’s so.