A federal report on job growth in South Jersey shows economic development efforts are working in Camden City, officials asserted Friday.
The number of jobs in the tri-county area rose by 3.7 percent between February 2016 and 2017, the largest such gain among the nation’s metropolitan regions, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The increase tied for the top spot with the Dallas metropolitan area.
The report showed 647,094 jobs in Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties in February, up from 637,793 one year earlier. The region’s jobless total was 30,851, or 4.8 percent. That was down from 34,170, or 5.4 percent, in February 2016.
Gov. Chris Christie noted the impact of more than $1.1 billion in state tax credits for firms that are expanding or building new facilities in Camden. The tax breaks will support creation of more than 1,000 full-time jobs, as well as “thousands” of construction jobs, the statement said. Christie also cited job-training efforts, noting the one-year anniversary Thursday of the Camden Corps Plus program to improve job readiness for 16- to 24-year-old city residents who have not completed high school.