By Ivan Pereira
New York City’s private sector saw a 6.5% growth over two and a half years with health care and tech jobs leading the way, according to the city.
The Economic Development Corporation will release a report Thursday that analyzed data from the state and city labor departments between December 2013 and last June. The report ranked the top six sectors, which added 211,900 jobs during that time period.
Health care and social service organizations, which have an average salary of $48,920, saw 63,400 new positions followed by the scientific and tech industry, which has an average $125,060-a-year salary, with a 35,400-employee jump. Administrative services, which have an average salary of $58,360, added 27,900 new jobs, education jobs, which have an average salary of $66,650, grew by 24,100, and the food service sector, which has an average salary of $32,030, saw a 39,600 surge.
Construction jobs, which average a $76,170 salary, had a 21,500 jump in numbers.
“Generating even more good-paying jobs for our people is our next big front line to keep this city affordable to everyday New Yorkers,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement.
EDC’s report also found that the outer boroughs saw good job growth during the 30-month period. During that time, Brooklyn had the highest private sector job growth with a 12.81% increase and the Bronx saw the biggest dip in unemployment with a 4.4% drop.
Giacomo Santangelo, professor of economics at Fordham University, said the data was a good indicator of the city’s economic growth but there are some questions about the success. He noted that many of the jobs, especially the construction ones, have time limits and many of the New Yorkers who lost their jobs during the last recession have only recently landed new gigs.
“Is this growth potential sustaining or is this a one-shot deal?” he asked.
Santangelo said the city should work to promote industry diversification especially as the future of the nation’s economy remains murky. The mayor has pledged to create 40,000 new jobs in the next four years but other city leaders like City Councilman Dan Garodnick, who chairs the committee on economic development, said they want specifics.
“I will push for greater details on the plan and evaluate whether it is truly a meaningful commitment,” he said in a statement.
