It may be a happy New Year for some Colorado job-seekers.
Forty-three percent of Denver firms surveyed plan to increase hiring during the first three months of 2007, up from 30 percent a year ago, according to an employment study to be released today.
Projected hiring in Denver appears strongest in retail, education, business services and public administration, reported Manpower Inc., an international staffing firm.
Across Colorado, the report indicated that employers surveyed in Denver, northern Colorado and Boulder were most likely to be hiring. Employers were less confident in Colorado Springs and Pueblo.
About 33 percent of companies statewide intended to beef up their staff early next year, compared with 15 percent that anticipated a decrease and 46 percent that saw no change.
Nationally, a projected 23 percent of U.S. companies intend to hire during 2007’s first quarter, while 11 percent plan to reduce staff. About 60 percent expect no change.
Manpower’s quarterly report is based on interviews with more than 14,000 U.S. employers in 460 markets. Manpower, based in Milwaukee, declined to name or disclose the number of Colorado businesses that took the survey.
Manpower’s rosy outlook for Colorado is in line with a forecast earlier this month by the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business.
That report projected the state would add 42,300 nonfarm jobs next year, a 1.9 percent increase. That compares with 1.5 percent job growth expected nationwide, according to the 2007 Colorado Business Economic Outlook.
However, the CU forecast predicted the state’s unemployment rate to average 4.8 percent next year – up from 4.5 percent this year – as an influx of newcomers will compete for jobs.
The Manpower survey indicated that in the Denver area, the percentage of firms expecting to reduce staff jumped to 8 percent this year, up from 4 percent surveyed a year ago.
Boulder-based natural grocer Wild Oats said it will add as many as 150 workers when it opens its flagship store in Boulder next year. The company may also beef up its corporate staff depending on sales nationwide, said spokeswoman Sonja Tuitele.
The Manpower report showed hiring plans in Denver were mixed for companies in construction, manufacturing, finance, insurance and real estate.
Chris Walter, vice president of TriStar Drywall, said his construction company will likely continue hiring into 2007.
“We (hired) about 30 people in the last quarter, and we have a couple of positions open yet,” said Walter, whose Centennial-based company employs about 200 people. “Business has improved.”
Greenwood Village-based software consultant Fast Enterprises will add between 10 and 15 employees – most of them information-technology professionals – each month for the next three months, said Justin Ball, director of operations and communications.
Separate research released Monday showed that hiring of full-time accounting and finance professionals in Denver is expected to increase during the first quarter next year, according to staffing firm Robert Half International.
Staff writer Tom McGhee contributed to this report.
Staff writer Will Shanley can be reached at 303-954-1260 or wshanley@denverpost.com.
