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Northeastern Pennsylvania’s greatest asset for business recruitment is the quality of our workforce. The area’s 16 colleges and universities and strong K-12 system combine with an ingrained and nationally recognized work ethic to produce some of the best and brightest workers in America. Please read what just a few of our employers have to say about their great employees and then review the tables below to learn more about Northeast PA’s labor supply.

The Hazleton plant has been the best-performing plant for at least the last 10 years.  Soon, we are going to be passing out about 30 service awards to employees who have been here 20, 25, 30, 35 years.”
- John Kittredge
  Fabri-Kal
The main reason for our success is our people.  We have dedicated, hard-working people who give 100% all of the time.  We have super employees.”
- John Meir
Human Resources Manager
Bemis Hazleton plant
It’s almost like the area (Northeast PA) defines what work ethic is. People come to work with an eagerness and willingness to get the job done.”
- John Rhodes
Principal
Moran, Stahl & Boyer
We have a great workforce. We have capable people who are passionate about achieving their goals. We are in a low-cost area yet we have people with the skills you might think you would find only in a high cost area. Everything in Northeast PA is just right. It’s the Goldilocks theory of doing business."
- Scott Meuser
Chairman & CEO
Pride Mobility Products Corporation, Pittston
Every one of our employees has a great attitude.  They feel that there is no job too big or too small.  They’re all hard workers with the desire to learn and hone their skills so they can advance to the next level”
George F. Hayden
Vice President, Operations
George J. Hayden, Inc., Hazleton

We have a tremendous group of dedicated, hard working people who helped us pull together a triumphant year…and we’ve found this to be a very cost effective area to find intelligent, skilled people.”
Jessica Chessman
President
igourmet.com, Pittston 

 

Employer Testimonials Click here for more NEPA Employer Testimonials!  380.02 Kb

Combined Unemployment & Employment Statistics for
Luzerne (Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, Pittston) and Lackawanna (Scranton) Counties
Year
Civilian Labor Force
Employment
Unemployment
Unemployment %
1999 260,200 245,000 15,200 5.8
2000 261,400 248,400 13,100 5.0
2001 262,600 248,200 14,500 5.5
2002 261,000 244,300 16,700 6.4
2003 260,200 243,000 17,200 6.6
2004 262,100 244,300 17,800 6.8
2005 264,800 249,400 15,400 5.8
2006 265,800 251,300 14,500 5.5
2007 267,000 253,700 13,300 5.0
2008 269,000 252,700 16,300 6.1
2009 271,000 246,500 24,600 9.1

 

Annual Salaries of Surveyed Northeast PA Transportation and Warehousing Employers, Fall, 2005

Occupation
Avg. Starting
Rate
Median Starting
Rate
General Business and Office Support
Accounting clerks/bookkeepers $20,769 $20,800
Administrative Assistants $23,019 $23,400
Clerical workers w/ adv. computer. skills $21,497 $20,800
Computer/office tech. support specialists $25,297 $26,624
Database administrators $35,000 $35,000
Dispatcher $31,744 $31,200
Office clerks $20,464 $21,112
Shipping and receiving clerk $22,746 $22,880
Management and Supervisory
1st-line supervisors/managers $34,873 $35,000
Human resource manager $50,000 $50,000
Management trainees $32,060 $32,060
Traffic/logistics managers $43,333 $45,000
Transportation, storage and dist. mgrs. $42,610 $42,500
Transportation and Material-Moving
Conveyor operators and tenders $24,700 $24,700
Freight, stock, and material-movers, hand $19,594 $19,781
General laborers $20,867 $20,800
Hand packagers and packagers $17,726 $15,829
Forklift operators $21,614 $20,530
Inv. ctrl/shipping & receiving clerk $23,673 $23,504
Material-moving workers, all other $25,861 $23,504
Mechanics, diesel $27,317 $26,000
Mechanics, trucks $23,781 $26,000
Tractor-trailer truck drivers $27,319 $27,040
Truck drivers, heavy $26,104 $27,040
Truck drivers, light or delivery services $25,307 $27,040
Warehouse associate/warehouse clerk $21,154 $20,405
Other
Those willing to work 2nd shift $23,071 $23,400
Those willing to work 3rd shift $22,672 $22,776
Seasonal workers $21,979 $24,960


Source:  The Wadley Donovan Group

 

Comparison of Northeast PA Financial Services Sector Salaries to other Metro Areas
 
U.S. Avg.
Northeast PA Avg.
Philadelphia, PA
New York, NY
Boston, MA
Hartford, Ct
Actuary
$90,760
$90,200
$88,270
$111,530
$87,760
$91,050
Insurance Claims Processor
$31,700
$30,300
$30,880
$34,600
$38,560
$34,420
Insurance Underwriter
$56,480
$59,000
$57,600
$72,320
$70,110
$63,280
Customer Service Rep.
$29,680
$25,900
$30,490
$36,890
$39,350
$35,280
Accountant
$58,020
$56,800
$65,530
$72,560
$61,780
$62,260
Securities & Financial Services Sales
$87,990
$71,700
$94,910
$114,180
$116,880
$113,180
Systems Analyst
$70,430
$63,900
$70,280
$78,240
$73,910
$71,830
Computer Programmer
$67,400
$57,100
$63,460
$74,850
$82,160
$65,530

Source:  Moran, Stahl & Boyer 2006 Employer Survey 

For information on our workforce, visit http://www.paworkstats.state.pa.us/default.asp