Wisconsin Job Growth Outpacing the Nation

This year, my #1 goal as your representative in the State Assembly has been to create an economic climate that is fertile for private sector job creation in Wisconsin. 

This has resulted in some very difficult decisions, like reforming the way government operates and making necessary spending cuts in order to balance the state budget.  We have come a long way over the last seven months in partnership with Governor Scott Walker and more needs to be done, but we are starting to see the results of our work.

Last week, the state Department of Workforce Development announced that Wisconsin added nearly 13,000 jobs during the month of June, and had a net job gain of 9,500 – the largest jobs increase in a single month in Wisconsin since 2003.  This number is particularly impressive when you consider the fact that the entire nation's net job creation in June was about 18,000.  National and state employment numbers are measured slightly differently, but the fact remains that Wisconsin’s job creation is far outpacing the national norm.

Compared to a year ago, private sector jobs increased by 42,400 in June seasonally adjusted.  Without seasonal adjustment, private sector jobs increased by 51,900 from May to June and 42,200 year-to-year.

Leading the way in June was Wisconsin’s tourism industry, which added 6,200 jobs (seasonally adjusted).  Some critics have leveled accusations that the June employment numbers are skewed and contain no reasons for optimism because of the seasonal nature of tourism jobs, but I disagree. 

While it is true that many tourism-related jobs are seasonal in nature, the June figures represent an increase of 3,300 tourism jobs over last year, and that is nothing to sniff at.  That means more Wisconsinites are finding a few extra dollars to partake in summer leisure activities than last year – a surefire sign that our overall economy is slowly coming back to life.

Our bedrock manufacturing sector also showed modest growth in June, bringing 2011 net manufacturing job gains to 14,000.  This is twice the rate of the rest of the country, which has seen only 1.2 percent growth in manufacturing jobs for the year.  Manufacturing nationwide is showing a stronger pulse and, according to Henry Moser, retired president of GF AgieCharmilles, manufacturing capacity utilization increased to 76 percent in June, which was an improvement over the same June 2010 number of 64 percent.

Overall, Wisconsin has added about 39,000 jobs in 2011.  Our job growth percentage has been 1.7 percent, twice the national average of 0.9 percent. Make no mistake – we still have problems with unemployment and underemployment in Wisconsin.  These numbers are encouraging and point to the fact that the pro-jobs policies enacted so far this session by Assembly Republicans are working.  But there is still much work to be done.

To contact me with any questions or comments or to sign up for my regular e-updates, please send an e-mail to Rep.Knodl@legis.wi.gov or call me at (608) 266-3796.