Not to bury the lead, this is my last newsletter ... I'm retiring.

But, why use a few words, when many more will do?

In December 2002, I left Staffing Industry Analysts not necessarily to strike out on my own, but to take a breather to see what else life had to offer. Eventually, a few projects came in over the transom, I started this newsletter, and eventually secured a few clients. The first edition of this newsletter was published on September 1, 2006, as I lamented that Pluto had been demoted from planet status by a consensus of astronomers. In that first newsletter, we drew a parallel to what could be considered "normal job growth" and what to expect from the labor market should also change, mainly due to a shift in population demographics.

So it's been almost 20 years and who is going to give me a gold watch? Honestly, who needs one today and I have my father's a 25-year gold watch that he received in 1967. I don't wear it but it still keeps excellent time if  I wind it, but I digress.

I am not participating in what is currently being called the "Great Resignation" caused by the pandemic because my decision was pretty much determined when I was born. As I mentioned in that first newsletter there was massive population shift expertly documented nearly two decades earlier by U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, along with the Hudson Institute landmark study of the changing American workforce "Workforce 2000: Work and Workers for the 21st Century" published in 1987. A  follow-up report "Workforce 2020 -- Work and Workers in the 21st Century" was published in 1997.

IMHO, the pandemic has been a catalyst to the evitable.

When predicting workforce and labor trends in "Workforce 2000" for the following 15 years and presenting possible public policy issues that would arise, the authors discussed, among other matters “…Improving the dynamism of an aging workforce … Reconciling the needs of women, work, and families … Integrating Blacks and Hispanics fully into the workforce … Improving workers' education and skills.”
 

BTW, there is a recent movement by some scientists arguing that Pluto should be reclassified as a planet. What is old is again relevant in both cosmology and labor market trends. Still don't accept this premise? Last Friday Tears for Fears appeared on one of the late night talk shows with their 1985 classic "Everybody Wants To Rule The World". Apparently -- and I fact-checked this -- the original phrase was "everybody wants to go to war".

Actually, I lied a little -- I'll continue to look at economic and labor market trends that interest me and will periodically publish those thoughts via my Twitter account. Furthermore should an interesting project/s -- preferably one-off or possibly ongoing -- come across a different transom since I now live in the mountains of western North Carolina, I'll consider it.

As for my more immediate plans, time to go hiking with the pup.

Bruce out.

Private sector employers added 654,000 in February after adding 448,000 in January; a year ago the private sector added 693,000 in February 2021.

The private Goods-producing sector added 105,000 jobs in February after gaining 24,000 in January, which was preliminary reported last month as a 4,000 increase.

• Manufacturing growth gained 36,000 in February after adding 16,000 in January.

• The Construction sector was up 60,000 in February after adding 7,000 in January, which was initially reported as down 5,000 in last month's BLS employment report. 

• Mining and logging was up 9,000 in February after adding 1,000 in January, which as first reported as down 4,000.

The private Service-providing sector was consistent with a gain of 549,000 in February and that was an improvement from the 424,000 the sector added in January.

• Hiring activity slowed in the Retail trade sector that added 36,900 jobs in February after increasing by 69,200 in January.

• The Wholesale trade sector regained some traction with an increase of 18,300 in February after adding 12,300 in January.

• Transportation and warehousing continued to add jobs at only a slightly slower pace with an increase of 47,600 in February compared to the 51,100 it added in January.

• Financial activities crushed it with a gain of 35,000 jobs in February after adding 3,000 in January.

• The Professional and business services sector picked up some momentum with an increase of 95,000 in February after adding 73,000 in January. Computer systems design and related services computed in only 4,500 more jobs in February after adding 8,200 in January. Management and technical consulting services added 9,500 jobs in February that followed an increase of 10,800 in January.. Architectural and engineering services gained 4,400 jobs in February, which followed a 8,700 increase in January.

• The entire private Education and health services sector was up 112,000 in February. Hiring managers must have been really feeling the heat at Home health care services by hiring at a feverish pitch by adding 19,700 jobs in February after eliminating 1,500 jobs in January..

• The entire Leisure and hospitality sector was up 179,000 in February after adding 167,000 in January.

The total number of Government jobs was up 24,000 in February. The Federal government was flat, state government was up by 3,000, and local government increased a total of 21,000 jobs with much of that increase in education.

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