GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCES MORE THAN 25,000 NEW YORKERS HAVE BEEN HIRED IN THE LAST FOUR MONTHS USING THE STATE'S "JOBS EXPRESS" WEBSITE

GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCES MORE THAN 25,000 NEW YORKERS HAVE BEEN HIRED IN THE LAST FOUR MONTHS USING THE STATE'S "JOBS EXPRESS" WEBSITE

Website to Expand – Will Now Include Union Apprenticeships

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that more than 25,000 New Yorkers have been hired using the state's new "Jobs Express" website since it was launched four months ago. The site can be found at www.jobs.ny.gov.

The site compiles and sorts jobs located in the NYS Job Bank by region to help the unemployed know what industries are growing in their area and what employment opportunities are available to them. Businesses can also post available jobs on the site for free.

Starting immediately, the website will also add a new feature listing the various opportunities for union apprenticeships across New York State. New Yorkers who are interested in the apprenticeship programs should visit http://labor.ny.gov/pressreleases/apprenticeshiparchive.shtm. Further, the Governor has expanded his commitment to a pre-apprenticeship veterans jobs program, referred to as "Helmets to Hard Hats," by streamlining the application and approval process and expanding the number of individuals who can participate.

"Since the start of my administration, I have repeatedly said that jobs are my top priority, and it is clear that the 'Jobs Express' website is working and putting tens of thousands of New Yorkers back to work," Governor Cuomo said. "We built this site so unemployed New Yorkers could find jobs and business owners could expand, and with the addition of the union apprenticeships, the site is more comprehensive than ever."

Updated daily, "Jobs Express" features easy-to-use drop-down menus that display useful information for job seekers all on one page. The site also includes videos that offer advice to job seekers and an electronic job-matching tool known as "Skills Matching and Referral Technology" (SMART), which generates job leads from resumes.

New employment data show that New York State's economic recovery is stronger than first anticipated. After federal revisions, private sector job gains during the state's recovery, which started in November 2009, totaled 245,400 through December 2011. As of December 2011, the state had recouped 76% of the private sector jobs lost in the recent recession. Comparatively, as of December 2011, the nation had only recovered 29% of the private sector jobs lost. Between 2010 and 2011, New York State's annual average private sector job count grew by 139,400, or 2.0%, to 7,195,300. This was the state's strongest annual private sector job growth since 2000.

Mario Cilento, President of the New York State AFL-CIO said, "The priority of all New Yorkers is creating and retaining good jobs throughout the state. I congratulate the Governor for his efforts to make that a reality. The labor movement is particularly supportive of the state's actions to amend the jobs express website to include apprenticeship programs and to strengthen its commitment to the Helmets to Hardhats program. After sacrificing so much, our veterans should have every opportunity to support their families when they return. The NYS AFL-CIO will continue to work with Governor Cuomo and his Administration to expand apprenticeships and employment opportunities for all New Yorkers."

Jeff Stark, President of the Greater Capital Region Building Trades Council, said, "I applaud the Governor's efforts in developing the Jobs Express page with proven results in such a short period of time. By expanding the list of opportunities to include apprenticeship programs around the state we know that the success of the site will continue with more New Yorkers landing good paying union jobs and employers getting a skilled and experienced workforce. We will continue to partner with the Governor on efforts to connect jobseekers to employers."

Bev Cole, Human Resources Assistant at KTECHnologies in Buffalo, New York said: "On behalf of K-TECHnologies, I would like to take this time to let you know just how beneficial we have found it to list our job openings with the job bank. We have been able to hire several new employees through the job bank and I continue to receive resumes from job seekers on a regular basis."

Dianna Lucas, HR Assistant at Crescent Manufacturing in North Collins, New York said: "I have been submitting job opportunities for my company, Crescent Manufacturing, using the great resources that the Job Bank has to offer. I have always been very satisfied with the services that the Job Bank has offered me."

Michael Knapp, a new employee at Premier Aviation said, "A little over four weeks ago, I was an unemployed New Yorker, uncertain about my future and applying for any job I found in the newspaper. Today, thanks to the Jobs Express website, I work for a great company in the Mohawk Valley, grateful to be back at work. I am now an employed New Yorker and having a job for me now means having a future. I encourage all jobseekers to check out this valuable website today."

Dennis Cusano, an employee at Espey Manufacturing and Electronics Corporation said, "When I visited the Schenectady One-Stop Career Center, the counselor there introduced me to a great program called SMART, which matched me with a great job at Espey Manufacturing and Electronics Corp. Not only did I apply and get the job through this lead, I've since been promoted at the company. SMART is a worthwhile tool for any job seeker in need of work."

For further employment resources, there are 88 public One-Stop Career Centers across New York where job seekers can go for additional free services. These services include job search and placement assistance, skills assessments, resume help, labor market information, career planning and training assistance. Job seekers can also meet with employment counselors to devise a career plan that fits their individual needs and skills.

For more information about services offered by New York State for job seekers, visit www.labor.ny.gov.