Typically fourth quarter is a slow time for the Services industry as the summer vacation season comes to a close and ski season is just beginning. This year was no exception with employment rising 0.5% since last quarter adding 3071 employees. The strongest sector continues to be Business Services (73) up 5739 employees. Computer services and telemarketing saw large gains this quarter as a couple of firms undertook large expansions. Only about 800 were added to the sector from temporary help. Engineering Services (87) experienced the second largest sector gain up 1692 employees. About one half of the increase was dedicated to a seasonal project outside the country, environmental consulting projects and private prison operations. Seasonal losses were found in Hotels & Lodging (70) down 4505 employees and Amusement & Recreation (79) down 1606. Although the opening of ski areas added employment to Amusement & Recreation, seasonal cutbacks at golf courses, membership sports and recreation clubs and amusement parks offset hiring. Employment in Membership Organizations (86) also seasonally declined, down 823, as summer camps ended.
ANNUAL
The Services industry continued to reflect strong employment growth up 6.3% adding 34,379 since fourth quarter a year ago. Business Services (73) up 21,483 employees generated more than half of the industry growth. Within Business Services demand for temporary help escalated adding 8808 employees. Increased demand for computer services also continued adding 6832 employees. Misc Business Services added 3465 employees with most of the new jobs related to telemarketing. Employment in Health Services (80) incurred the second largest increase up 4977. Within Health Services the largest employment gains were in hospitals up 1456 and home health services up 1149. Staffing for nursing homes generated another 818 new employees. Only two sectors declined over the year: Motion pictures (78) down 702 employees and Misc Services (89) down 100. Employment in motion picture fluctuates wildly based on the amount of filming being done in Colorado. Activity was slow during the year resulting in the decreased employment. SIC changes from Misc Services in January caused most of the loss in this sector.
![[]](901e02a4.gif){kind=small}
![[]](90000211.gif){kind=small}
![[]](90000269.gif){kind=small}