Contact:
Ethnie Groves, Office of the Governor, 608-261-2156
State Adds Nearly 53,000 Jobs in Metropolitan Areas in Last
Year
Governor Jim Doyle announced today that Wisconsin leads the
Midwest in job growth in metropolitan areas, according to the most recent
statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor. Wisconsin has led the Upper
Midwest in job growth for seven straight months.
“I’m proud that as a state Wisconsin continues to have the
best job growth numbers in the Midwest, and that metropolitan areas – in
particular the Waukesha and Milwaukee metro areas – are experiencing some of
the most significant growth among all metro areas in the Midwest,” Governor
Doyle said. “It’s clear that our strategy of focusing on upgrading our
industries and competing at the high end is working. We still have a lot of
work to do, especially in our manufacturing industry, but Wisconsin
continues to be headed in the right direction.”
Since September 2003, Wisconsin has added about 52,900 jobs
in metropolitan areas (a 1.9 percent increase) – the highest numerical and
percentage increase in the Midwest. While Wisconsin created about 52,900
jobs, Michigan lost more than 51,000 jobs and Ohio lost about 15,000 jobs.
Illinois added nearly 10,000 jobs, Indiana added more than 14,000 jobs,
Minnesota added more than 18,000 jobs, and Iowa added more than 8,000 jobs.
Since September 2003, Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties
combined experienced the highest metropolitan job growth adding about 21,500
jobs (a 2.6 percent increase). Green Bay and Brown County added 4,800 jobs;
the Appleton, Oshkosh, and Neenah areas combined added 3,100 jobs; and Dane
County added 3,100 jobs. The September 2004 data released by the U.S.
Department of Labor is preliminary and not seasonally adjusted.
“Through my ‘Grow Wisconsin’ plan, we have worked hard to
strengthen all sectors of our economy, and position Wisconsin to compete at
the high end,” Governor Doyle said. “Wisconsin will continue to do well if
we focus on what we do best – make the best products found anywhere in the
world with the best trained, best educated workers in the world.”
Governor Doyle has signed the vast majority of bills called
for under “Grow Wisconsin,” ranging from legislation to eliminate the tax on
creating jobs to the most aggressive regulatory reform policy in the Midwest
to a measure to expand access to venture capital.
View the full U.S. Department of Labor report here:
http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/metro.t02.htm.
