Job vacancies in Minnesota climbed 15 percent in the second quarter of 2012, but a large portion of the openings are part-time or temporary, and almost half don't offer health insurance.
DEED, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, released data Thursday showing 63,000 openings during the quarter, up from 54,700 openings during the same period in 2011.
Statewide, there were 2.6 unemployed people for each vacancy at the end of June, compared with 3.6 unemployed people per vacancy at the same time a year earlier.
"Job vacancies in the state have returned to levels that we haven't seen since before the Great Recession," said DEED Commissioner Mark Phillips in a statement. "While finding work remains difficult for many people, the latest survey is a positive sign that the labor market is recovering."
Larger questions such as how many of these jobs are desirable, and whether there are qualified workers to fill the desirable positions, are more difficult to answer. The study found that:
• 42 percent of the openings were for part-time jobs (fewer than 35 hours per week).
• 19 percent were for temporary or seasonal work.
• 44 percent required some level of post-secondary education or training beyond a high school degree.
• 40 percent required related work experience.
• The median wage offer was $11.06 per hour.
• 55 percent of the openings offered health insurance.
According to the survey, 34,600 vacancies – or 54.9 percent of the total – were in the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. Compared with a year ago, job vacancies were up 16.8 percent in the Twin Cities and 39.8 percent in Greater Minnesota.
Jobs in health care and social assistance accounted for the most vacancies, at 16.5 percent, followed by accommodation and food services, retail trade, educational services and manufacturing.
