Ames Job Outlook Strong

There were less people working in Ames in June than in April but if you take out the seasonal jobs, like the Iowa State University jobs that fall off during the summer months when classes are not in session Peter Orazem, ISU economics professor and City Councilman said, the news is the “Ames labor market is very strong.”

The recent strength is due to growth in the city's private sector, according to Orazem's July 2012 job outlook.

Ames added 2,600 jobs between June 2011 and June 2012 and 2,100 of those were in the private sector, the report said.

In fact growth in the private sector has made up for a gradual decline in job loss in the public sector.

From June 1999 to June 2012 Ames lost almost 15 percent of its state government jobs. But the recent surge in the private sector has made up for the public loss “leading to a modest net employment gain” of almost 1 percent since June 1999, Orazem wrote in the report.

In June there were 46,400 people working in Ames the highest June job number in the community's history.

Orazem's full report is attached to this story.