Tag: employment

bookmark_borderPhiladelphia Unemployment Rate

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PHILADELPHIA, PA —

According to preliminary data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics the unemployment rate in Philadelphia declined to 6.5% for April 2015, down from 7.1% in March 2015 and 7.5% for April 2014.  In addition, the number of jobs in Philadelphia increased by 4,300 from March to April to 687,100, the highest number for April since 2001 and 10,900 more jobs than April 2014.  By comparison the number of jobs in Philadelphia in January 2008 was 652,100, 35,000 fewer jobs than today.

 

“Philadelphia is on the rise and our Administration is focused on ensuring that all Philadelphians share in this prosperity,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter.  “There are more Philadelphians working today than at any point for almost 25 years, and Philadelphia has recovered from the recession faster than the country as a whole.  We are strengthening our efforts to support business growth and attract new companies to a city that is gaining an unprecedented level of attention.”

 

Other highlights from the recent BLS data include:

 

  • The number of Philadelphians employed increased by 6,795 to 643,557.  Highest number since December 1990.
  • The number of Philadelphians unemployed decreased by 3,841 to 44,690 and the size of the labor force grew by 2,954.
  • State and National unemployment rates continue to hover 20% above their 2007 levels, while Philadelphia’s unemployment rate in April is lower than it was in January 2007.  Philadelphia has returned to its pre-recession level of unemployment faster than the state or the nation as a whole.

 

“The latest employment data is very encouraging and is a reflection of a city that is growing and thriving,” said Alan Greenberger, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development.  “By supporting the growth of existing businesses through programs such as 10,000 Small Businesses and Kiva City Philadelphia, attracting new companies, and undertaking major new developments such as the $350 million renovation of the Gallery, we are working every day to create new jobs and economic opportunities for all Philadelphians.”

bookmark_borderLux Coming To Philly

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Mayor Michael A. Nutter announced that Lux Products Corporation, an innovative HVAC controls company formerly based in New Jersey, has relocated its headquarters to the Philadelphia Navy Yard. The company’s employees settled into their new Philadelphia location as of April 1st.

“Lux Products joins the increasing number of companies choosing to start, stay and grow in Philadelphia and we could not be more excited to welcome their team to our city,” said Mayor Nutter. “With our unemployment rate back to pre-recession levels and more jobs created in the city last year than any time since 2000, Philadelphia’s economy is on the rise.”

Lux is a privately held company based in the U.S. with a sales, marketing, logistics, customer service and technical support center in Philadelphia, PA and distribution center in Laredo, Texas. Lux is the second largest retail brand of thermostats, having sold more than 10 million thermostats, and regularly winning a “Best Buy” rating from well-regarded consumer magazines.

“The Navy Yard is an exciting blend of past, present and future,” notes Rob Munin, newly appointed President of Lux Products. “For Lux it is the perfect location for us to plant our flag and look forward; the Navy Yard campus mirrors our own commitment to smart energy innovation and sustainability, we’re very excited for what this means for our brands and our customers.”

The Philadelphia Navy Yard is home to a growing number of companies with approximately 11,000 people now working at the former military base. The Navy Yard offers a unique urban location mixed with historic buildings and modern architecture, renovated and built for today’s high performance technologies and LEED® certifications all along Philadelphia’s waterfront.

“The Navy Yard is the perfect place for Lux Products’ new headquarters,” said John Grady, President of PIDC, which manages the Navy Yard. “We are delighted to welcome them to Philadelphia. By relocating to The Navy Yard, Lux Products joins the many sustainability focused companies on the campus and gains the space to continue to innovate and grow.”

According to the latest preliminary employment information released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for February 2015, there are more jobs in Philadelphia than for any February since 2001. In addition, Philadelphia added more jobs last year than any year since 2000.

“In the last few months we have welcomed HOK, Hill International, Integrichain, American Bible Society, and now Lux Products to Philadelphia,” said Alan Greenberger, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development. “These decisions and investments are a vote of confidence in our city and a signal to the marketplace that Philadelphia is a great choice for companies looking to grow, attract talent, and be part of a dynamic, innovative economy. I want to thank all of our partners for their continued efforts to create jobs and bring new companies to Philadelphia.”

bookmark_borderSummer Youth Program

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Philadelphia, PA – During the British American Business Council (BABC) Breakfast with His Royal Highness The Prince Edward in attendance, Mayor Michael A. Nutter announced that pharmaceutical and healthcare company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and The Philadelphia Foundation will provide $1 million in grants to support WorkReady Philadelphia programs.

“This grant will make a tremendous difference in the lives of young Philadelphians that benefit from the programming offered by WorkReady, and it will also create an employee pipeline for area businesses,” said Mayor Nutter. “I appreciate the commitment GlaxoSmithKline has shown to our city and region, and I challenge other area businesses to follow its lead so that even more youth can be served. It costs only $1,600 to provide a summer opportunity for a young person. There is no better investment that we can make in our future than to help our young people achieve success.”

The money will fund 515 educationally-enriched employment opportunities for young people through the WorkReady Philadelphia summer programs and help launch a new bio-medical employment training program. WorkReady Philadelphia is the city’s system of youth workforce preparation programs that is managed by the Philadelphia Youth Network (PYN).

The $1 million includes $750,000 from the $5 million GlaxoSmithKline Inspiring Youth Endowment Fund and $250,000 from the Fund for Children. Both funds are administered through The Philadelphia Foundation, which has undertaken a comprehensive study of the out-of-school time needs of older youth to inform future allocations.

Prince Edward, the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II, visited Philadelphia Thursday and Friday to honor Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee year and to support the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award youth development program in the city. The BABC breakfast recognized GlaxoSmithKline for the creation of the $5 million fund benefiting youth in the City of Philadelphia, including a $500,000 designation to The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Philadelphia Program.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award program was established in 1956 by HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who is the husband of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Edward’s father. The program mentors 14- to 25-year-olds through self-selected activities in community service, physical recreation, skill development and an adventurous journey that includes outdoor experiences.

To be funded through the $1 million grant announced today are:
WorkReady Summer programs, which provide valuable exposure to workplaces across the city as well as weekly professional development seminars. The programs challenge youth to understand the correlations between work experience, skill attainment and high school completion and how those variables impact their potential for college and career success. Participants also can attain credits through the School District of Philadelphia.

WorkReady’s Industry Pipeline Model, which provides multi-year training for 11th and 12th grade students in industry-identified skills. The funding will allow for development of a new bio-medical employment training program that will prepare young Philadelphians to enter high-wage, high-demand positions in that industry.

Applicants interested in applying for the programs may visit PYN’s youth website at http://www.mypyn.org.
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About GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline is one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies. For further information go to us.gsk.com, follow GSK on twitter.com/GSKUS or visit the GSK blog: (www.morethanmedicine.us.gsk.com/blog).

About The Philadelphia Foundation
Since 1918, The Philadelphia Foundation has linked those with financial resources to those who serve societal needs. It is the region’s community foundation, serving Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. For more information, visit www.philafound.org.

About The Philadelphia Youth Network
A nationally recognized leader in youth workforce development, the Philadelphia Youth Network (PYN) is a non-profit intermediary organization that brings stakeholders together to change systems and improve educational and economic outcomes for the city’s youth. For more information, visit www.pyninc.org.

About The British American Business Council of Greater Philadelphia
Since 1991, the British American Business Council (BABC) of Greater Philadelphia has promoted increased trade and investment between the United Kingdom and the Greater Philadelphia region. The BABC of Greater Philadelphia is an affiliate of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. For more information, visit http://www.babcphiladelphia.com/about/.