More people are working in and around Norwich.
New London County had the largest percentage of employment growth among Connecticut’s four largest counties, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics County Employment and Wages for the fourth quarter of 2023, released May 22.
The study looked at data in Fairfield, Hartford, New Haven and New London counties. While New London County has the lowest number of employees of the four, with 119,400 compared to 420,100, 504,300 and 381,100 respectively, its employment growth from 2022 to 2023 was 2.2%, compared to 0.5%, 0.4% and 1.5 % respectively 0.4% and 1.5%.
Looking at data from the Connecticut Department of Labor, employment in the New London-Norwich-Westerly Labor Market grew by 2.2% in the private non-farm sector and 1.9% in off-farm jobs overall between April 2023 and April 2024.
How does New London County compare to other CT counties?
Over the same time period, overall nonfarm job growth was 1.8% in the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk market, 0.4% in the Danbury market, 1.1% in the Hartford market, 0.9% in the Waterbury market, 0.5% in the Enfield market. market, 1.2% in the Torrington market and a 0.4% loss in the Willimantic-Danielson market. The only market with higher growth is New Haven at 2.3%.
While employers are still concerned about having enough employees, hiring is no longer a crisis, said Eastern Workforce Investment Board (EWIB) President and CEO Michael Nogelo.
“It’s a relief for them, but we still have a lot of work to do in the long term to meet their needs,” he said.
Other workforce needs include staffing and providing early childhood care, Nogelo said.
Why is Eastern CT growing?
Much of the job growth in Eastern Connecticut is due to General Dynamics Electric Boat, said Kevin Brown of the Norwich Community Development Corporation.
“There is continued growth coming out of the pandemic that shows the Norwich-New London-Westerly LMA (labor market area) is performing better,” he said.
Electric Boat has made a big push for jobs as it gets more and more contracts from the US Navy. Last year, the company employed 5,300 people between its CT and RI facilities, and aims to hire over 5,000 this year, EB President Kevin Graney said in February.
Primary industries
Manufacturing and healthcare have been major employers in the region for some time, and EWIB has initiatives to get people working in those fields. While manufacturing is based around EB and what it needs from partner companies in the area, health care growth is in all subsectors, from hospitals to home care, Nogelo said.
“Manufacturing and healthcare will continue to drive growth in Southeastern and Eastern Connecticut,” he said.
Health care is in demand because of an aging population and openings brought on by the pandemic, Nogelo said.
EWIB is paying attention to the potential of offshore wind power and wants to respond when the time comes, Nogelo said.
Cannabis and small business in Norwich
Businesses recovered from the pandemic, including the opening of new businesses, were also observed. The cannabis industry is growing and is expected to create 100 to 150 jobs in Norwich. Other businesses have been helped by funding from NCDC’s Norwich Revitalization Program, Brown said.
Businesses assisted by the Norwich Revitalization Program range from existing businesses such as Thayer Marine to newer businesses such as Ventura Barbershop.
Brown also referred to new Norwich business registration data from the Secretary of State’s Office. It recorded only 155 registrations in 2019, 210 in 2020, but 367 in 2023.
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