Job growth in Colorado was stronger in the second quarter of 2014 than initially reported, up 7,900 nonfarm payroll jobs from the number reported earlier this year.
The state Department of Labor and Employment on Wednesday said the second-quarter report had been revised to 2,469,600 from 2,461,700.
The revision — based on a count of workers at each business establishment in Colorado — underlines the state’s economic vigor, labor department chief economist Alexandra Hall said.
“We’re seeing continued, just solid 3 percent or greater growth, stronger than the nation as a whole,” she said. “The numbers show that the economy really hasn’t been slowing down.”
Construction jobs accounted for much of the upward revision, adding 7,300 jobs, boosting the over-the-year growth rate through June to 11.4 percent from 5.7 percent.
Trade, transportation and utilities added 6,300 jobs in the second quarter, taking it from a 1.7 percent growth rate to 3.2 percent over the year growth rate through June.
The financial activities job count was reversed, moving from an over-the-year decline of 2.1 percent to an increase of 1 percent with the addition of 4,600 jobs, Hall said.
“It is good to see that that particular sector is not actually declining and is actually growing, even though modestly,” she said.
Not all categories got a boost in the revision — leisure and hospitality dropped 4,800 jobs, government lost 3,400, and business and professional services declined by 2,200.
Job creation was strong in communities statewide, Hall said.
Total nonfarm payroll jobs for the second quarter for Denver are expected to be revised up by about 6,900.
Estimates for Colorado Springs are expected to be revised up 4,800; and Greeley, in the heart of an oil and gas boom, by 3,200.
Grand Junction is expected to be revised up by 1,100 and Fort Collins by 900.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939, hpankratz@denverpost.com or twitter.com/howardpankratz
