Pittsburgh Diversity Employment Expo Moves to CONSOL Energy Center

After dozens of successful job fairs over the past 10 years at Mellon Arena, Heinz field and PNC Park, the Pittsburgh Diversity Employment Expo is moving to CONSOL Energy Center with the next event slated for Tuesday, October 26th, 2010.

Produced by the Pittsburgh office of EmploymentGuide.com, in association with The Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, Over 30,000 job seekers have attended the events with more than 10% getting job offers! Other partners include the Veteran's Affairs burough of Allegheny County and AARP Foundation WorkSearch.

The job fair is free for all job seekers and will be open from 10:00AM to 3:00PM.  Entry is through the Trib Total Media gate then up the escalators to the right.

More than 35 companies and schools are expected to attend and include sales, customer service, hospitality, Healthcare and Nursing, social services, manufacturing, banking/finance and more.

A list of companies and schools attending will be published here about two weeks out from the event.

Pittsburgh Loses Jobs In July (but fewer than in "typical" July)

The July unemployment figures just released show that Pittsburgh lost just over 15,000 jobs in July. On the surface this is bad news. However, when looking at historical numbers, Pittsburgh ALWAYS loses jobs in July as teachers and other government workers are laid off for the summer (with census workers adding even more to this number than usual). Pittsburgh lost fewer jobs this July than the past five year July average.


The good news is that this is the first month in over two years that Pittsburgh had more jobs (4,400 more) than the year ago period. Particular strength was seen in Education and Healthcare (+2,300), retail (+1,700) and Leisure and Hospitality (+1,400).

For more detail visit http://bit.ly/bwnvBS

Pittsburgh Metro Sees Unemployment Rate Drop and Jobs Increase in June

For the long term unemployed in the Pittsburgh Metro area the June unemployment report is bittersweet. For our area, the unemployment rate dropped from 8.6% in May to 8.3%, while adding 7,700 jobs. The good news is this represents almost 4,000 more jobs than one year ago.


While good news for area economists, who see the Pittsburgh Metro getting better through the rest of the year, it is little help to the more than 100,000 residents who couldn't find work. Our sense here at EmploymentGuide.com is that employers are beginning to increase their recruitment activities.

While summer is normally a slow recruitment period in good times, this summer has seen a steadily (albeit slowly) increasing number of job postings as well as inquiries toward near term recruitment plans. Our job fair held recently at Mellon Arena attracted 40 local employers which was the most in two years.

For more details on the job numbers go to the Post Gazette and the Tribune-Review.

July 13th, the Last Public Event at Mellon Arena – Ever!

EmploymentGuide.com® and The Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh partner to sponsor the “2010 Pittsburgh Employment and Career Education Expo”

We all know what the first events at the new Consol Energy Center will be. We now know what the very last event at Mellon Arena will be. Appropriately hundreds of Pittsburgh area job seekers will benefit!

As the local economy begins to recover from the worst local downturn since the collapse of the steel mills, EmploymentGuide.com and The Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh and have combined efforts for the sixth consecutive year to bring jobseekers together with companies who seek their talents.

On Tuesday, July 13th, from 10:00AM to 3:00PM at Mellon Arena more than 35 Pittsburgh area employers and schools, featuring career opportunities from HCR Manorcare and the all new Fairmont Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh, will meet and interview hundreds of job seekers at the 2010 Pittsburgh Diversity Employment and Career Education Expo.

Attendance is expected to exceed 1,000 Pittsburgh area residents seeking a new career. Last years 3 events attracted over 4,000 total job seekers and resulted in more than 450 job offers. Job Seekers will enter through gate 10. Attendance for job seekers is free.



The 2010 Pittsburgh Employment and Career Education Expo is part of EmploymentGuide.com’s “Hire Commitment” Job Fair Series, taking place in more than 50 cities across the country throughout 2010.

Participating employers will seek to fill entry-level to management level positions and represent industries such as healthcare, nursing, customer service, hospitality, sales, skilled trades, banking/finance, security and more. Also in attendance at the job fair are associations interested in supporting their members including: the AARP Foundation WorkSearch and the Allegheny County Department of Veteran’s Affairs.

Pittsburgh Metro Sees More Jobs But Higher Unemployment In April

The Pittsburgh Metro gained 7,300 jobs (seasonally Adjusted) in April; the highest month to month gain since 2001. At the same time, the unemployment rate increased from 8.4 to 8.5% as more job seekers entered/re-entered the job market in the improving economy.


Within the Pittsburgh MSA (metro survey area), five of the counties’ unemployment rates decreased, but the two that increased were enough to make the overall rate edge up. Unemployment rates in the MSA ranged from 7.8 percent in Butler County to 10.2 percent in Fayette County.

Goods producers in the Pittsburgh MSA totaled 143,000 jobs in April, up 5,800 from March. This was the second largest monthly increase for goods-producing industries on record, eclipsed only by a gain of 6,300 in April 1998. All three goods-producing supersectors increased, but the majority of jobs were added in construction due to warmer weather.

Month to month strength was seen across the board, but in particular, in construction, hospitality and business services. A major job index has named Pittsburgh one of the top five stable markets in the country based on the diversity of job makeup that is not relying on only one or two industries to supply a large portion of the metro’s jobs. For more details click here: http://bit.ly/b2l1G2

Over 500 Summer Jobs Available For Pittsburgh City Youths Age 14 to 21

From the Pittsburgh Post Gazette;



Applications for around 555 summer youth jobs available through the city of Pittsburgh will be accepted starting today, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's office announced Tuesday.
City residents ages 14 to 21 may apply to the Pittsburgh Summer Youth Employment Program. Paid for with federal funds, the program places young people in outdoor work improving parks or vacant lots, or indoor internships with area businesses.


The jobs pay $7.25 an hour for as much as 30 hours per week, from July 6 through Aug. 13.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10132/1057425-53.stm

Goodwill Seeks Volunteer Mentors

Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania is looking for adult volunteers who want to help young people overcome disadvantages and avoid delinquency. The effort is part of a new national mentoring program known as Goodwill GoodGuides(tm), designed to help teens finish school and transition into productive careers through the guidance of trusted adults.


Currently, over 50 at-risk youth throughout the area have been identified and are waiting on support from the GoodGuidesTM program. Because of this, there is an urgent need for volunteers to offer help for these young people.

"Goodwill has a long history of helping people find work," said Michael J. Smith, Goodwill SWPA President / CEO. "A crucial part of that history is making sure that families are strong. Adults who become Goodwill GoodGuides(tm) will help keep youth who are at-risk get on the right path, stay away from trouble and prepare for a better future."

The program targets youths between the ages of 12 and 17 who are at risk for dropping out of school, facing legal troubles, or at risk for delinquency due to issues such as abuse, disability or drug or alcohol dependence. Its overall goal is to help potentially troubled young people build career plans and skills by providing structured and supportive relationships with trusted adult mentors. Specific goals are improved school attendance and academic scores, high school graduation, career exploration, job shadowing, service learning and financial literacy.

"Goodwill can readily identify many young people who can benefit from this program because of our extensive work with individuals and families with various disadvantages," Mr. Smith said. "Our challenge is to find enough qualified adults who are willing to make a commitment to serve as mentors and to engage at-risk youths in promoting their career development and life skills."

GoodGuides(tm) volunteer mentors must be 21 or older, submit to a background check, and agree to a one-year commitment. They will receive mentor training and be required to communicate weekly with the youths, spend six to eight hours a month with them, and communicate monthly with the Goodwill mentoring specialist.

Mentors from the business community will be asked to share insights into the working world and to help youths explore career challenges and opportunities.

For more information about becoming a volunteer mentor or to suggest a youth who might benefit from this program, please contact Jackie Abel-Stavropoulos, Program Manager with Goodwill SWPA, at 412-390-2308 or Jackie.stavropoulos@goodwillswpa.org.