Good news is around the corner for those without a job in Rhode Island.

The maximum amount of money that the State of Rhode Island allows people to collect in unemployment benefits each week is about to increase, according to the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training.

It was recently announced that the maximum amount for someone without dependents will increase by $18 per week, or 3.4 percent, from $528 to $546. The maximum amount for someone with five or more dependents will increase by $22 per week, or 3.3 percent, from $660 to $682.

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It could take more than half a decade for Providence jobs to recover to a pre-recession level.

A new report from IHS Global Insight predicts that unemployment in the Providence-Fall River-Warwick area will not return to its pre-recession rate until after 2014. The report also predicts that Rhode Island’s annual rate of job growth will average between .5 percent and 1.1 percent between now and 2014.

Providence is one of 71 metropolitan areas that aren’t expected to return to recent employment peaks until after 2014. Other areas include Cleveland, Detroit and Los Angeles. In comparison, the Boston area is expected to return to its pre-recession employment level by the second quarter of 2014. The analysis is part of a study of 325 of the 363 metropolitan areas throughout the country.

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New Rhode Island engineering jobs, as well as survey and construction jobs, will soon be created with a little help from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The State of Rhode Island recently announced that it will receive more than $2.3 million in federal stimulus money for flood protection projects in Cranston and West Warwick. The money will help create jobs, restore habitats and prevent flooding along the Pawtuxet, Pocasset and Meshanticut rivers.

The Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in the state will receive $1.95 million to purchase easements and conduct restoration at four sites and about $400,000 to design, engineer and obtain permits for the projects.

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The state’s green-collar industry could help create several environmental jobs in R.I.

Andrew Dzykewicz, commissioner of the state Office of Energy Resources, recently said that Rhode Island’s wind-power industry could eventually create between 4,000 and 5,000 jobs, according to an article by The Providence Journal.

“There’s a prospect for a substantial number of jobs coming in that industry,” he said in the article.

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The number of Rhode Island jobs lost during April were among the worst in the country.

Rhode Island, Ohio and West Virginia saw the biggest increases in unemployment during April, according to an article by Bloomberg. Rhode Island had an unemployment rate of 11.1 percent, the highest since 1976, while Ohio’s unemployment rate came in at 10.2 percent, the highest since 1983. West Virginia’s unemployment rate increased by .7 percent to 7.5 percent.

Overall, 18 states and the District of Columbia saw an increase in unemployment, while 21 states saw a decrease. The country as a whole has lost 5.7 million jobs since the recession began in December 2007, the biggest job loss since the Great Depression.

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One Rhode Island department is recruiting and training people interested in future RI social work jobs.

The Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families is currently seeking candidates for its Pre-Service Training Academy, which prepares those interested in employment as juvenile program workers at the Rhode Island Training School for Youth.

Juvenile program workers provide for the custody, supervision and security of youth at the training school. Duties may include assisting in rehabilitation, education and treatment of youth.

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More medical jobs in Rhode Island will be created, as 10 community healthcare centers throughout the state have received $4 million in federal stimulus money.

The 10 community health centers in Rhode Island serve about 112,000 people. According to an article by The Providence Journal, eight of those meet standards to qualify for federal funds. The money will not only be used to serve poor and uninsured Rhode Island residents, but also to bring healthcare to those who might not have had access to it before.

“Here, care is coordinated,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said in the article. “Here, patients have electronic medical records … They’re actually showing a model for how some of America’s most well-off might be better served.”

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A continued focus on energy preservation will help create and maintain Rhode Island jobs.

Gov. Donald L. Carcieri recently announced that the Office of Economic Recovery and Reinvestment has created an Energy Review Team to help develop a statewide energy plan for the investment of funds available from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The team also will help develop a statewide, competitive grant process to distribute funds for energy programs.

Under the ARRA, Rhode Island will receive $58 million in funds dedicated to a number of energy initiatives, including $20 million for weatherization programs; $14.5 million for state and municipal programs and $24 million for other energy activities.

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Although the healthcare industry is one that is often considered to be recession-proof, there is a lack of qualified educators, which is in turn creating a lack of qualified workers to fill healthcare jobs. However, an effort is underway to help create more Rhode Island nursing jobs.

A special legislative commission recently unveiled a proposal to give educators in Rhode Island’s nursing schools a yearly tax credit of $3,500. The credit is an attempt to keep professionals teaching and help prepare for the expected oncoming shortage of nurses throughout the state.

It is expected that Rhode Island will have a shortfall of 1,800 registered nurses by next year. According to an article by The Providence Journal, that number could grow to a shortage of 6,500 registered nurses by 2020. Part of the reason for the lack of qualified nurses is that many potential students are turned away from programs because of a lack of teachers.

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More than 100 new Rhode Island construction jobs will be created through airport renovation projects.

The Federal Aviation Administration recently awarded $6.2 million to the Rhode Island Airport Corporation for two construction projects at the state’s general aviation airports. Work at Quonset Airport and Newport Airport will create about 150 jobs in design, construction and contract work.

Nationwide, a total of $1.1 million in stimulus money was given out for airport renovation, with $53 million of that in New England.

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