Unemployment stands at 7,521

Independent on line


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The full-time gainfully occupied population in July totalled 144,960, down by 1,747 when compared to the previous year. Unemployment stands at 7,521.

In July 2009, the administrative records of the Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) showed a drop of 1,747 persons in the full-time gainfully occupied population when compared to the corresponding month in 2008. Concurrently, the number of registered unemployed increased by 1,563, to 7,521.



Full-time Employment

In the 12 months to July, the number of full-time gainfully occupied persons in manufacturing fell by 2,377 (10.3 per cent). This decline in manufacturing comprised 1,695 men and 682 women. Likewise, the full-time gainfully occupied persons in hotels and restaurants dropped by 602 (5.7 per cent). This reduction in jobs in hotels and restaurants affected 320 men and 282 women. There was also a drop of 163 full-time gainfully occupied persons in electricity, gas and water supply (5.4 per cent). This balance was the result of a decrease of 184 men and an increase of 21 women.

Contrarily, the number of full-time gainfully occupied persons in real estate, renting and business activities went up by 788 (5.8 per cent) to 14,471. This expansion, which effectively involved computer and related activities and other business activities, led to an increase of 473 men and 315 women. This branch of the economy includes, among other activities, software consultancy and supply, accounting and auditing activities, tax consultancy, labour recruitment agencies, investigation and security activities and industrial cleaning. Further growth in full-time employment occurred in community, social and personal service activities (+321 persons) or 4.3 per cent and health and social work (+228 persons) or 2.3 per cent.

Overall, between July 2008 and July 2009, there was a decrease of 1,418 (3.4 per cent) full-time jobs in the public sector, and another drop of 329 (0.3 per cent) full-time jobs in the private sector.



Part-time Employment

Meanwhile, the number of registered part-time jobs for the month under review totalled 50,632, an increase of 1,774 with respect to the corresponding month last year.

In the 12 months to July, the main increase in part-time employment took place in education (+604 persons) and wholesale and retail trade (+405 persons).

The increase in part-time jobs in education comprised 266 persons whose part-time job was their primary occupation. The respective increase for the wholesale and retail trade sector was 288.