Fergie's Tech Blog

Austin area adds jobs in May

Good news for the local tech economy.

Claudia Grisales writes in the Austin American-Statesman:

Central Texas employers added jobs in May at the highest rate for that month since the peak of the tech boom five years ago.

However, because of the typical seasonal slowdown heading into summer, the 1,900 jobs added last month was about half as many as in each of the preceding two months. The five-county Central Texas region saw its nonfarm employment reach 684,500 during May, up 17,400, or 2.6 percent, from a year earlier. That's more than double the statewide growth of 1.2 percent for the past 12 months.

The 1,900 jobs added in Central Texas last month is the best May number since 2000, when employers added 6,000 positions amid a hiring boom.

Typically, there is a seasonal decline in May as universities and other schools prepare to let out for the summer. In May, state government, which includes employers such as the University of Texas, lost 600 jobs.

posted by Fergie @ 6/17/2005 02:40:00 PM