Manufacturing jobs in Rhode Island grow

Posted on August 1, 2018

The number of manufacturing jobs in Rhode Island have grown, according to recent labor statistics.

The Rhode Island economy continued an upward trend in June, as the nonfarm employment level of 502,400 was up 2,500 jobs from the revised May employment level of 499,900. June marks three consecutive months of job gains in Rhode Island, totaling 4,000 jobs or an average of 1,300 jobs added per month. The number of Rhode Island-based jobs are up 7,500 from June 2017.

The Educational Services sector, which has reported job declines in four of the first six months of 2018, rebounded by adding 1,600 jobs in June. Despite the large over-the-month increase, Educational Services employment is down 400 over the year.

Through the addition of 500 jobs, the number of jobs in the state’s Accommodation & Food Services sector surpassed the fifty-thousand mark for the first time ever, as the job level stood at 50,100 in June. Employment within this sector is up by 1,200 from a year ago.

A peak employment level of 37,100 was established in the Financial Activities sector, as the number of jobs grew by 400 from May. Financial Activities employment is up 1,000 from June 2017.

The Health Care & Social Assistance, Construction and Arts, Entertainment & Recreation sectors each added 200 jobs in June. Robust employment is evident in the Health Care & Social Assistance and Construction sectors, as the number of jobs in each sector is up 1,500 and 1,200, respectively, over the year. Employment in the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation sector increased by 300 from a year ago.

The Professional & Business Services, Manufacturing, Transportation & Utilities and Information sectors all reported a gain of 100 jobs in June. Professional & Business Services (+1,900) and Manufacturing (+900) saw significant over-the-year job gains, followed by Transportation & Warehousing (+400). Employment in the Information sector is down 300 from June 2017.

Offsetting some of the June job gains was a loss of 500 jobs reported in the Retail Trade sector, the sector’s first job loss in 2018. The number of jobs in the Retail Trade sector is down 100 over the year.

In addition, the Other Services and Wholesale Trade sectors each lost 200 jobs in June. Other Services employment is up 700 from a year ago, while Wholesale Trade employment is down 500 from a year ago.