Construction has begun on a project that will eventually create thousands of D.C. office jobs.

Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and officials from Forest City Washington and the General Services Administration recently announced that work has begun on The Park at The Yards, a 5.4-acre public waterfront park that will overlook the Anacostia River. The Park is a major part of The Yards project, which will include the development a 42-acre urban neighborhood.

When completed, The Yards will accommodate about 2,700 new condos and apartments; 400,000-square-feet of restaurants and shops; 1.8 million-square-feet of office space and the preservation of unique historical buildings already on the site. The Yards is expected to house more than 4,700 new residents. The project also will create 7,700 new jobs, most of them office jobs, which will generate about $450 million in yearly salaries.

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Several youths will have the opportunity to participate in D.C. summer jobs this year.

About 24,000 youths 14 to 24-years old in Washington, D.C. have already registered for the city’s 2009 Summer Youth Employment Program, which had an early registration deadline of May 1. This is the highest level of enrollment the city has seen in years, which is good news since the program faced some backlash last year. This year’s program runs from June 18 to August 21.

This year the city also is able to offer a record number of job opportunities. Program participants will have a variety of job options, including working in many District agencies, the private sector, the federal government - including the White House - and the Mayor’s Conservation Corps.

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Washington D.C. art jobs contribute a lot to the District’s economy.

According to a recent assessment by the DC Office of Planning and Washington DC Economic Partnership, the District’s creative industries generate more than $5 billion in income every year.

“The economic significance of the creative sector is clear – creative enterprises play a key role in contributing to the District’s economic vibrancy through tourism, income generation, and business incubation,” Harriet Tregoning, director of the Office of Planning, said in a press release. “Now, more than ever, we have an opportunity to harness the extensive talent in the city in a way that will position the District as a global leader in creative industries.”

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The recently-passed federal economic stimulus plan will create more jobs in Washington, D.C. than anywhere else in the country.

Cassidy & Pinkard Colliers recently released a report stating that the greater Washington area will benefit the most from the Recovery and Reinvestment Act. According to an article by GlobeSt.com, this is not a surprise, as generally when the economy reaches a recession, population growth in the D.C. area exceeds other cities by 15 to 20 percent.

That means the stimulus, which amounts to $787 billion overall, will garner more jobs and needed office space for Washington, D.C.
Typically, for every $1 billion in federal spending, 7,000 jobs are created in the Washington area. The new stimulus could give D.C. $23 billion during the next three years, meaning 30,000 Washington D.C. jobs could be created by 2010 and 64,000 jobs could be created by 2019.

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Helping incarcerated people get ready for a Washington, D.C. job also could help the local economy.

In December 2008, the District of Columbia opened the Employment Readiness Center in the Central Detention Facility, which is meant to help those who are 45 to 60 days from release prepare for a job search. The center is a joint project between the Department of Corrections and the Department of Employment Services. Project Empowerment, which is part of the DOES, manages the center and provided $21,679 for supplies and equipment.

“The Employment Readiness Center reflects the District’s strong commitment to providing the resources critical to facilitating the reentry process for inmates on the cusp of release,” Mayor Adrian M. Fenty said in a press release. “Being equipped with the skills necessary to apply for and land a job increases the likelihood that these returning residents can become self-sufficient and make positive contributions to the community.”

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Amidst an economy that is shedding several technology jobs, DC IT jobs are continuing to grow.

Companies throughout the industry, from large publicly traded companies to smaller startup companies, have eliminated thousands of workers because of the current economic downturn. And the worst isn’t over yet, according to an article by The Wall Street Journal. However, Washington, D.C. seems to be weathering the storm.

A recent Dice.com survey of corporate hiring managers and other professionals who recruit technology workers showed that there will be fewer job options and more layoffs in the technology industry during the next six months. It also was found that of those who responded to the survey, 20 percent said layoffs were likely within their company, a 9 percent increase from June, and 72 percent said the current state of the economy has caused them to reduce hiring during the next six months, up from 53 percent in June.

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The previous sale of a then-doomed hospital has since created many new DC healthcare jobs.

About a year ago, Greater Southeast Community Hospital was sold to Specialty Hospital of Washington, and since that time the facility has made continued progress. By the end of this year, the hospital will have doubled its employees and created 800 healthcare jobs through the Long Term Acute Care program, Skilled Nursing Center and overall expansion of the hospital and emergency room.

Before the sale, Greater Southeast was facing losses of about $1.2 million per month and the hospital was under consideration for closure because of neglect and mismanagement. Today those financial losses have nearly been eliminated, according to a press release.

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While the current possibility of an economic recession has many Americans losing sleep, a new study finds that a recession could actually result in more Washington D.C. government jobs.

Many Americans, whether tied to Wall Street or not, are worried about their futures as 401K plans are unstable, foreclosures are abundant and both big cities and small towns are trying to adapt to this new market. Businessweek recently published an article on a study it completed, with data from PolicyMap, to determine the best places to live during a recession. In most of these places, the majority of the population works in government, healthcare, education, agriculture and legal services.

Washington D.C. came in as the second best place to live during a recession, behind Arlington, Va. In recent months, the economy has continued to add more jobs to Washington’s workforce.

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While the city is often known for its political landscape, Washington D.C. healthcare jobs are growing.

As of July 2008, Washington D.C.’s education and health services industry employed 104,600 people, according to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, an increase of 7.2 percent from last year. The District of Columbia Department of Employment services expects the educational services industry to employ 57,760 people by 2014, an increase of 7,520 jobs, or 1.4 percent, from the 2004 employment of 50,240.

Washington, D.C. is home to 16 medical centers and hospitals, making it a center for patient care and medical research. Washington Hospital Center is the largest in the district, and is the largest private and largest non-profit hospital in the Washington area. The Children’s National Medical Center is among the highest ranked pediatric hospitals in the country according to U.S. News & World report.

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With the recent importance of being earth-friendly, some youths are exploring green jobs in Washington D.C.

The city is expanding its Green Summer Job Corps, and offering hundreds of Washington, D.C. jobs to youth who will help beautify public housing for the rest of the summer. Luckily this program is flourishing, as the city recently had a problem with its Summer Youth Employment Program.

The Green Summer Job Corps is is a program administered by the DC Department of the Environment. Existing corps members have spent the summer learning about environmental protection, cleaning up rivers, parks and schools and educating the public, according to a press release from the District of Columbia.

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