18,000 New Persons Find Employment

The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) is reporting that 18,000 new persons were employed as at July this year, to bring the total number (of persons employed) to 1,094,700, an increase of 11,100 persons, relative to the similar period last year. 

Speaking at the PIOJ’s quarterly press briefing at the Institute’s New Kingston offices on November  20, Director General, Dr. Gladstone Hutchinson, disclosed that based on the latest labour force survey, conducted by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN), the workforce complement as at July 2012, stood at some 1,256,000 persons.

He pointed out that the labour force increased by some 20,600 persons as at July this year, compared to the corresponding period last year.

The Director General further advised of an increase of 2,600 in the number of persons, aged 14 years and older, currently constituting the labour force.

Dr. Hutchinson informed that eight of 16 industries recorded increases in the number of persons employed. Those recording the largest increases, he disclosed, include: wholesale and retail, and repair of motor vehicles and equipment, which were up 13,800 persons; manufacturing , up 6,400 persons; and agriculture, forestry and fishing, up 5,400 persons.

While noting that the unemployment rate, as of July 2012 stood at some 12.8 per cent, which was approximately 0.5 per cent point higher than the rate recorded for July last year, Dr. Hutchinson said it was 1.5 per cent points lower than the figure reported at the start of the 2012/13 fiscal year, in April.