Friday, Oct. 18, 2013 | 10:28 a.m.
CARSON CITY — The state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation was unable to post its monthly jobless report as scheduled because of the government shutdown, but projected continued improvement.
The unemployment rate has averaged 9.7 percent this year, and department economist Bill Anderson predicted today it will drop to 8.8 percent by 2015. That is still higher than the national average.
Anderson said one indicator of the improved economy is the increased number of employers — 57,600. That is still below the pre-recession number of 60,500.
Nevada’s economy is on a pace to add 50,000 new jobs from 2010 through the end of this year, he said. Anderson predicted there would be an additional 25,000 to 30,000 new jobs per year through 2015.
A press release by the department quotes Gov. Brian Sandoval as saying the economy has bottomed out.
Earlier this week, state demographer Jeff Hardcastle reported that Nevada has lagged in job growth compared to other states.
Hardcastle said 27.9 percent of the jobs lost in the recession have been regained. That compares to 75 percent nationally.
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