Page 36 - Flathead Beacon // 10.29.14

36 | OCTOBER 29, 2014
ONE VALLEY,
BUSINESS MONTHLY FLATHEADBEACON.COM ECONOMIC INDICATORS
ONE VISION Kellie Danielson Manufacturing Job Growth
UNEMPLOYMENT FIGURES
UNEMPLOYMENT RATES BY STATES (SEPT.) 14TH LOWEST: Montana 4.6%
LOWEST:
N. Dakota 2.8% NATIONAL AVERAGE
SOURCE: Montana Department of Labor & Industry
MONTANA EMPLOYMENT CHANGE BY INDUSTRY (SEPT.)
Natural Resources and Mining
Construction +2.1% Manufacturing +1% Trade, Transportation and Utilities 0% Information 0%
Financial Activities
Professional & Business Services
Education & Health Services
Leisure & Hospitality
Other Services
Government +1.0%
Figures do not include self-employed or agricultural employment. In total, Montana’s non- agricultural, seasonally adjusted payroll increased by 1,900 jobs in September.
SOURCE: Montana Department of Labor & Industry
HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATES BY MONTANA COUNTIES (SEPT.)
Projected for Montana
AVERAGE GAS PRICES BY STATE
BECAUSE OF THE WORK I DO FOR A LIVING, I am often asked where the demand for future skills will be in Montana. I often include manufacturing as a suggestion because the compensation and ability for career advancement is strong, but also for the satisfaction of a creating and making a product that solves a problem or simplifies a process.
According to the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, the job growth projection of most significance in manufacturing for Montanans is related to chemical man- ufacturing. Chemical technicians and chemical engineers are going to be in high demand in Montana. This projec- tion hits the bull’s eye since petroleum and coal product manufacturing is overwhelming the state’s larger export, six times greater than the food and beverage sector, ac- cording to the National Association of Manufacturers. Welders, machine operators and equipment mechanics are and will continue to be in demand.
The average wage for a welder is $41,200 with training and some experience.
The average compensation in a Montana manufactur- ing position is $49,121, with skills and training dictating the wage level. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, Montana manufacturing employment is $19,000 higher than other non-farm employment in the state. Wages in the Flathead remain below some other regions of Montana, but with the economy continuing to improve the wages should increase. The average Flathead county wage is $16.86 according to the Department of La- bor and Industry. This average accounts for all jobs.
After petroleum and coal products, food and bever- age products rank second in the state in terms of output in manufacturing dollars; then wood products, fabricated metal, and chemical manufacturing.
Manufacturing accounts for 69.9 percent of Mon- tana exports. Total state employment in manufacturing is 18,300, and the Flathead is employing approximately 2,200 people in manufacturing.
There are ample resources for manufacturers to assist their business growth since the exports of products are attributed to importing new dollars from abroad into an economy. Contact Montana West to learn more about the resources at www.dobusinessinmontana.com.
Kellie Danielson is president and CEO of Montana West Economic Development and Flathead County Economic Development Authority.
$ 4.0 4 /gal.
GLACIER PARK INT'L AIRPORT STATS (SEPT.) DEPARTURES
5.9%
HIGHEST:
Lincoln
Bg Horn 8.6% Glacier 8.4% Sanders 8.2% Mineral 6.5% Granite 6.4% Lake 5.3% Ravalli 5.3% Rosebud 5.3% Flathead 4.8%
0% 5%
DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE NASDAQ
S & P 500
PLUM CREEK (PCL)
APPLIED MATERIAL (AMAT) GLACIER BANK (GBCI) NORTHWESTERN ENERGY (NWE) CENTURYLINK (CTL)
-1.5% 16,798.22 +0.3% 4,480.02 -0.8% 1,960.76 +5.2% 41.30 -3.2% 21.05 -0.4% 26.13 +11.4% 51.13 -0.2% 40.29
8.7%
Georgia 7.9%
2013 2014
19,967 23,175
0 10,000 20,000 ARRIVALS
10%
SOURCE: Montana Department of Labor & Industry
-0.0%
2013 17,294
30,000 40,000
20,000 30,000
SOURCE: Montana Department of Transportation
-1.2% -0.7% +0.3% +0.3%
HOUSING STATISTICS
IN FLATHEAD COUNTY (SEPT.)
+2.1%
Residential Sales Residential Land Sales Notices of Trustee Sales
101 144
16 33
-- --
158 159
48 52
-- --
15% 20%
HIGHESTHAWAII LOWEST S. CAROLINA MONTANA (12TH LOWEST)
$ 2 . 7 6
$ 3 . 2 2 /gal.
2014
19,878
0 10,000
40,000
MONTH IN STOCKS
Happy Monday.
Happy Hour.
5:00-6:00PM
ALL BEERS 50¢ OFF
Live music this Thurs, Oct 30, 5-7pm with
Spring Wagon String Band
2011 2012 2013 2014
/gal. SOURCE: GasBuddy.com
SOURCE: Jim Kelley at Kelley Appraisal in Kalispell