Employment opportunities in Schenectady

From the Times Union and State Department of labor: 5,000 jobs for the taking

Opportunities abound in region, but gap is wide in location, skills, pay

While the state Labor Department reported last week that the five-county Capital Region’s unemployment rate hit an all-time high for December of 7.4 percent, it also wants job seekers to know that nearly 5,000 local openings are listed at its Jobs Express website.

The positions range from groundskeepers to engineers, and TV anchors to pharmacists.

But opportunities aren’t equally distributed. The Albany/Colonie area had nearly half the total, 2,226 openings, while Clifton Park had 142 and the city of Troy just 113.

And the 5,000 openings listed in the eight-county area — Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren and Washington — equal less than an eighth of the more than 41,000 people who were unemployed and looking for work in those counties during December, according to Labor Department figures.

The job bank doesn’t include every opening in the region, however.

This map shows which communities have at least 50 job openings. Niskayuna jobs are included with Schenectady, and Malta jobs with Ballston Spa. Because the East Greenbush-based Regeneron Pharmaceuticals plant has a Rensselaer mailing address, those jobs show up as Rensselaer-based.

Some of the best-paying positions are in Ballston Spa/Malta, Rensselaer and Schenectady… The Rensselaer figure was boosted by the relatively large number of management, engineering and life sciences job openings, while engineering job openings boosted the Ballston Spa/Malta figure.

GlobalFoundries has been expanding in Malta, while Regeneron is undertaking an expansion of its manufacturing plant on the East Greenbush/Rensselaer line.

In Schenectady, meanwhile, engineering, management and computer and mathematical job openings are heavily represented. General Electric Co. opened a new battery plant last year and has been adding jobs at its turbine and generator plant downtown. Its Global Research Center is headquartered in Niskayuna.

Meanwhile, Bolton Landing had by far the lowest average median salary figure among the dozen communities listed.

Openings in the Adirondack resort community were in just two job classifications: food preparation and serving (median annual earnings are $19,140) and building grounds/maintenance (median earnings are $23,720).

The Labor Department’s Jobs Express site has been operating since 2011 and is designed to help job-seekers more quickly locate openings near their home.

Labor Department spokesman Leo Rosales said 65,000 people have found jobs through the service since its debut.

The department is working with University at Albany’s College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering on a job fair Saturday, Feb. 2, at which the nanocollege hopes to fill as many as 300 job openings. That event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the school on Fuller Road in Albany. Other job fairs are listed at the Department’s website.

The Times Union, meanwhile, also has a Jobs site in conjunction with monster.com that offers more than 1,000 area jobs.

Job openings by area

Most local opportunities are clustered near larger cities, and more rural areas pay less.

City/town Openings salary*
Albany 2,226 $46,196
Ballston Spa 88 $56,171
Bolton Landing 63 $20,958
Clifton Park 142 $40,174
Glens Falls 203 $38,791
Hudson 266 $40,815
Latham 237 $43,192
Queensbury 134 $37,785
Rensselaer 115 $53,239
Saratoga Springs 203 $41,018
Schenectady 400 $51,683
Troy 113 $43,031

* Median salaries for each job category were used to calculate an overall average based on the number of vacancies. Source: New York State Department of Labor

National United Choirs – Music Scholarship Sunday

Make a joyful shout to God all the earth! Sing out the honor of His name; make His praise glorious – Psalm 66:1,2

UnknownJanuary 27th, the last Sunday of January, has been set aside by PNCC Synodal resolution as Music Scholarship Sunday, which puts special emphasis on the Music Scholarship program of the National United Choirs of the P.N.C.C. It is the Sunday when the choirs, organists, directors and choir members should be recognized for their contributions to the music ministry of our church. It is also the Sunday when we look to the future and identify those that we hope will be part of the music ministry of the church. Thank you for your support of the music scholarship program. Scholarship applications are available on-line at the NUC website.

Feeding those in need on Souper Bowl Sunday

For the 12th year in a row, our parish is participating in the Souper Bowl of Caring. We are providing food help for those in need through the Souper Bowl of Caring and YouGiveGoods. Thank you for your support of our efforts.

ygg_default_image_foodYour monetary donations in church will support the work of Schenectady Inner City Ministry. You can donate food online through our YouGiveGoods donation page. Food donations will be provided to Concerned For The Hungry.

Scripture asks us to be attentive to the needs of others.

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, Matthew 25:35

John answered, “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.” Luke 3:11

If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 1 John 3:17

  • The Souper Bowl collections go to many charities and so helps many organizations. (Matthew 25:35-36).
  • It follows God’s commands to care of the poor by leaving some of what we have and opening our hearts to them (Leviticus 19:9-10, Deuteronomy 15:7-8).
  • Only asking for a dollar means everyone can participate (2 Corinthians 8:1-4).
  • By doing this in our church, we are setting an example of caring for those in need (1 Timothy 4:12).
  • It is a way we can remember the poor on a day when we are thinking about other things (Galatians 2:10).
  • Since the Souper Bowl does not tell people where to send their collection, it does not exclude anyone (James 2:1-4).
  • It also gives us a chance to trust God when we serve and to see how He blesses us as we do (Phillipians 4:19, Deuteronomy 15:10).

More than 20 years ago, the Souper Bowl of Caring began with a simple prayer from a single youth group:

“Lord, even as we enjoy the Super Bowl football game, help us be mindful of those without a bowl of soup to eat.”

Since that day, more than $90 million has been raised for local charities across the country through Souper Bowl of Caring. It has become a powerful movement that is transforming the time around Super Bowl weekend into the nation’s largest celebration of giving and serving.

Be part of this movement that is sharing God’s love with those in need. Please give generously on Super Bowl Sunday.

SouperBowl-logo

January 2013 Newsletter

Happy New Year and a new newsletter! Our January 2013 newsletter and calendar is complete and now available. Tons of events, Soup on Sunday, our annual meeting (yes, we are a democratic church where you have a voice and a vote and can expect accountability) everything you’d ever want to know — all in one place. You may view and download a copy right from this website.

January 2013 Newsletter.

Wise Men Seek Him

See & Experience the Bible Like Never Before

The Bible is an epic five-week, 10 hour television mini-series premiering March 3, 2013 on the History Channel from Emmy Award winning husband and wife team, Mark Burnett and Roma Downey. For two hours each Sunday night millions of viewers will see the Bible from Genesis to Revelation come to life in a way never before seen. The final episode of the series will air on Easter Sunday and will feature the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Christmas Liturgies and Services in Schenectady
  • Tuesday, December 25th: Solemnity of the Nativity of our Lord – Shepherd’s Holy Mass/Pasterka at Midnight. Service of Worship and Holy Communion for Christmas Day starting at 10am.
  • Wednesday, December 26th: Feast of St. Stephen the Proto-Martyr – please keep the persecuted Church in your prayers.
  • Thursday, December 27th: Feast of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist – Service of Worship and Holy Communion and Blessing of Wine at 7:30pm.
  • Friday, December 28th: Commemoration of the Holy Innocents – please keep all children in your prayers.
  • Sunday, December 30th: Solemnity of the Humble Shepherds – Service of Worship and Holy Communion starting at 9:30am. First ever Soup on Sunday – Ministry from 11:30am until 1:30pm.
  • Monday, December 31st: Solemnity of the Holy Family – please pray for God’s blessings upon all families.
  • Tuesday, January 1st: Solemnity of the Circumcision of our Lord – Service of Worship and Holy Communion starting at 10am.
  • Wednesday, January 2nd: Solemnity of the Holy Name of Jesus – Service of Worship and Holy Communion starting at 7:30pm.
  • Sunday, January 6th: Solemnity of the Epiphany of our Lord – Service of Worship and Holy Communion with blessing of chalk, charcoal, and incense starting at 9:30am. Holy Mass at 11am.
  • Sunday, January 13th: Solemnity of the Baptism of our Lord – Service of Worship and Holy Communion starting at 9:30am.

Special Note – Events and Times for Sunday, December 16th

Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out – Acts 3:19

Next Sunday, December 16th, we observe the Third Sunday of Advent, the lighting of the Third Advent Candle. On this Sunday we traditionally add to our Advent preparations during Holy Mass with a special Advent Penitential Service.

Proper Advent preparation requires that we free ourselves of sin. This is our opportunity. In this special preparatory moment we are better able to examine our conscience and put forth our best effort to make things right with God and our neighbor. These special penitential services occur only twice a year – so it is vitally important that we attend, participate, and celebrate together.

Following Holy Mass we will take time to enjoy fellowship, our Youth Christmas presentation, and join in preparing all those wonderful meatless dishes we will share with each other at our Vigil Dinner starting at 11:30am.

To allow sufficient time for our Penitential Service, Holy Mass, our Youth Presentation, and our Vigil Dinner we will begin at 8:45am with the lighting of the Advent Wreath immediately followed by our Penitential Service, receipt of the Sacrament of Penance, and Holy Mass. We are pleased to have Fr. Rafał Dadiełło from Holy Spirit Parish in Little Falls join us to administer the Sacrament of Penance and to offer Holy Mass.

St. Paul reminds us: All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation — 2 Corinthians 5:18. God gave His Holy Church the power to loose us of our sins -– come and be made free once again in the love of God who has reconciled all things to Himself in Christ Jesus. Then free, join in celebrating the coming season with each other.

Advent Charity – food gathering and fresh water wells

Rather than lamenting the trends of society, and complaining about the secularization of Jesus’ birth, let’s resolve to do something positive.

Let our preparation focus first on prayer – a prayer of hope and anticipation for God’s coming among us. Pray for reconciliation and an end to greed.

Let us then also sacrifice for those in need.

This Advent we will put out a donation basket. Our contributions will be used toward the purchase of a well for people in need of fresh water through Operation Christmas Child/Samaritan’s Purse. Women and children in developing countries usually walk miles to reach the nearest water source—which might be a stagnant pond or polluted stream. Samaritan’s Purse is working to solve this problem by building and repairing hundreds of wells, along with providing pumps and other equipment, across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Costs range from $400 for a hand-dug well serving a few families to $10,000 for a deep-drilled well serving an entire community.

We will also be collecting food, gloves, and hats for those in need in our immediate community. Canned, dried, and non-perishable foods, as well mittens, gloves, and hats are all needed. The latest U.S. census figures show an alarming statistic — 50.8 percent of Schenectady’s children live below the poverty line. For a family of four, that means a yearly income of less than $22,350. That number, provided as part of the 2011 American Community Survey, puts Schenectady 13th in the nation for highest childhood poverty rate among cities over 65,000 in population.

God bless you for your generosity and sacrifice in preparation for Jesus’ coming.