A great, and quick, way to keep tabs on which Tri-Cities labor market sectors are growing and which are contracting is the year-over-year tracking by   Middle Tennessee State University’s heat charts.

January’s tracking shows seven of the Kingsport-Bristol Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) sectors positive. In the Johnson City MSA six were positive.

January’s chart shows hiring in the Leisure and Hospitality Sector leads the other sectors in Kingsport-Bristol’s year-over-year growth. Job growth in that sector has been positive since January last year.

Professional and Business Services, Financial Activities, Retail Trade and Government employment are also up.

The MSA’s biggest hits come in the Information and Manufacturing sectors.

Manufacturing has been negative for seven months. Employment in the Information Section has been down for 11 straight months and was 30% below January last year.

The Kingsport-Bristol map can be found at http://capone.mtsu.edu/berc/tacir/kingsportbristoljobs.html

Professional and Business Services and Financial Activities are the Johnson City MSA’s strongest performers.

Sectors taking the biggest hits were Transportation and Utilities, Construction and Government.

The Johnson City chart can be found at http://capone.mtsu.edu/berc/tacir/johnsoncityjobs.html

Categories: LABOR MARKET