Job Growth Expected to Continue in Region

By the end of next year, Los Angeles County is expected to recover all jobs lost during the recession of the early 1990s, given continued growth in both the state and national economies, local economists conclude in a report to be released today. Nonfarm employment is predicted to grow by nearly 75,000 jobs, or an increase of almost 2%, to push the county’s total job count to roughly 4.1 million, according to the 2000-2001 economic outlook of the Los Angeles Economic Development Corp. Job growth of 158,400 positions also is expected for the five-county Southern California region. The area’s international trade sector is slated to move a record $200 billion in goods and its tourism industry is projected to host at least 61 million overnight visitors, for an increase of more than 2%. In Los Angeles County, job growth is expected to be fueled mostly by the addition of 46,000 new positions in the service and retail sectors. On the other hand, manufacturing is expected to lose at least 6,000 positions as local aerospace phases out four projects and the apparel industry continues to lose jobs to Mexico and other nations with cheaper labor costs.Nonfarm employment is expected to rise by nearly 3% in Orange County and by almost 4% in Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties.