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When the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was signed by President Barack Obama in February, most state and local officials had high hopes that the bill would help to revive the economy, particularly by creating jobs. So how has the federal stimulus fared as far as creating CT jobs? Click here to learn more.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell recently announced that the State of Connecticut has surpassed the $1 billion mark for funds committed to various projects and initiatives under the stimulus. The state has applied for more than $ billion in formula-based and competitive grants.

“The federal stimulus act is providing the State of Connecticut and its cities and towns with much-needed resources to help us all weather this economic downturn and get Connecticut residents back to work,” Rell said. “My administration has been committed and engaged from the start in pursuing every federal funding source available.”

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State officials are doing their part to help support CT farm jobs.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell recently signed a bill that will help save the state’s $1 billion dairy industry and preserve valuable farmland by providing direct aid for the next two years to farmers struggling with historically low milk prices and high production costs. Money for the aid will be generated by revenues from a $40 fee for recording municipal land documents.

“Dairy farms are an irreplaceable part of our landscape and our culture and keeping family farms viable ensures that we retain the ability to produce fresh, local food. We cannot afford to lose them,” Rell said. “Once they disappear so do the countless businesses and thousands of jobs the dairy industry supports.”

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There is now a new way to get moving when it comes to finding a Connecticut career.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell recently announced that the Career Express, the state’s mobile workforce assistance center, will be traveling throughout the state during the near future.

“We’re putting the Career Express on the road, visiting local libraries, schools and community organizations to offer job search assistance of every kind, from polishing a résumé to identifying potential employers,” Rell said. “This valuable service is more important now than ever, with the national economic slowdown taking a terrible toll on the working families of Connecticut. I am committed to doing everything possible to help people find good-paying jobs that will support their families.

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Even though the state’s unemployment continued to increase, about 3,600 Connecticut jobs were added during May, a surprise to many people who are predicting the state will still see thousands of job cuts in the future.

During May, the unemployment rate in Connecticut managed to increase by only .1 percent, from 7.9 percent to 8 percent. Although this is high unemployment rate, it’s still lower than the national unemployment rate of 9.4 percent. The State of Connecticut hasn’t seen its unemployment rate decrease since September 2008, when the unemployment rate went from 6.1 percent to 6 percent.

The state had a total non-farm employment of 1,643,900 workers during May, according to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 1,640,300 workers during April, but a 3.7 percent decrease from last year.

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It was recently reported that thousands of CT summer jobs would soon be created thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. However, hundreds of those potential positions could be canceled if the state Legislature doesn’t pass the funding within the next 10 days.

The State of Connecticut was to use $11 million in federal funding to create 4,500 jobs for youths ages 14 to 24. But the General Assembly has not yet appropriated those funds, meaning 700 youth jobs in Eastern Connecticut are now in danger of being cut. According to an article by the Norwich Bulletin, the Eastern CT Workforce Investment Board, one of five throughout the state, oversees $1.2 million for summer jobs.

“The longer we have to wait, the more the program is weakened,” John Beauregard, executive director of the Eastern CT Workforce Investment Board, said in the article. “Something really needs to happen in the next seven to 10 days.”

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State officials are hoping that staycations - which are garnering a lot of support throughout the country - will help save and create hospitality jobs in CT.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell recently announced that the State of Connecticut has launched the “Connecticut - Your Staycation Destination,” program. The campaign offers discounts and special deals for state residents at a variety of attractions, hotels and restaurants throughout the state. Not only will the campaign be beneficial to Connecticut residents, but it also will help support several jobs.

“With gas prices climbing again and the economy still ailing, families will find, as they did last year, that staying close to home can stretch their travel budget and while treating them to the world-class attractions we have in our own back yard,” Rell said. “Staycation also is a great boost for our $9 billion tourism industry and the thousands of jobs it supports around the state.”

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Thousands of youth will have the chance to partake in Connecticut summer jobs, thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The State of Connecticut will use $11 million in federal stimulus money to help young people get summer jobs. The funding will create 4,500 jobs for those 14 to 24-years old. The majority of the jobs will capitalize on the vast computer skills that many young people posses.

To be eligible, the youth’s family must be near the federal poverty level and they must have disabilities or other barriers to employment. Those who are selected will work 16 to 24 hours per week and earn minimum wage. They will work with public programs, private employers, nonprofit groups, municipal sites, state college campuses, hospitals and banks.

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Investment in three companies will help create several manufacturing jobs in Connecticut.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell recently announced that the Connecticut Development Authority will offer $1.18 million in loans to help three Hartford area companies create and retain jobs through expanded business operations.

According to an article by the Hartford Business Journal Online, the three companies are:

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A new effort is underway to help create more jobs in Connecticut.

The Connecticut state Senate is planning to act this week on a proposal to create a special economic development zone in four towns bordering Bradley International Airport. According to an article by CNBC, the legislation would affect parts of Windsor Locks, Suffield, East Granby and Windsor.

If passed, the legislation would help create local and state tax-relief incentives for businesses to open or expand within the zone. The amount of the incentives would vary depending on the number of new jobs created. Proponents of the proposal say the enterprise zone could bring businesses ranging from light industrial companies to hotels, regional distribution warehouses and aerospace firms.

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A staggering number of Connecticut jobs could still be lost during the next two years.

The Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis recently released a report that found the State of Connecticut could lose 40,000 more jobs through 2011. That would bring the total number of jobs lost during the recession to at least 110,000, depending on whether or not the federal economic stimulus package is able to slow the losing trend.

The state has faced two consecutive quarters of job losses totaling 39,000. So far, the state has lost 70,000 jobs since employment topped out two years ago, meaning its only two-thirds of the way to its projected low point.

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