Networking events, workshops and seminars for the month of April are listed below. Got an upcoming business event? Send it to info@iberkshires.com.

The Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce will hold an economic development breakfast on Friday, April  8, from 7:45 to 9 a.m. at Crissey Farm, Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington. Admission is $25 for chamber members who register in advance, and $30 for nonmembers and walk-ins. Speakers include attorney Kathleen McCormick, Tony Patterson of Iredale Mineral Cosmetics, Sally Harris of St. James Place, and Tim Geller of Community Development  Corp. To register, call 413-528-4284 or email sbcc@rnetworx.com.

Berkshire Young Professionals will hold a networking social on Tuesday, April 12, from 5 to 7 p.m. at The Underground, located at the Crowne Plaza, One West St., Pittsfield. Admission is $5 per person or free for BYP cardholders; register here.

The Berkshire Chamber of Commerce will hold a "Chamber Nite" event on Wednesday, April 13, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Mildred Elley, 505 East St., Ste. 107, Pittsfield. The event is for members only; go here to register.

The Lenox, Stockbridge and Lee chambers of commerce invite their members to a tri-town chamber mixer on Thursday, April 14, at Gateways Inn, 51 Walker St., Lenox, from 5 to 7 p.m. "Light fare" will be served and a cash bar will be available. A chance to win a door prize is open to anyone who brings their business card. RSVP to your own chamber: Barbara Zanetti, Stockbridge Chamber, 413-298-5200; Danielle Mullen , Lee Chamber, 413-243-0852; Ralph Petillo, Lenox Chamber, 413-637-3646.

The Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce will hold a business after hours event on Thursday, April 14, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Egremont Country Club, Great Barrington. Wine and cheese will be available; RSVP to Joy at 413-528-1510 or sbcc@rnetworx.com.

The Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce is offering a series of educational seminars, all to be held from 9 to 11 a.m. at Berkshire Community College's 353 Main St., Great Barrington location. The schedule is as follows:
Friday, April 15: Building a Marketing Plan
Friday, April 29: Branding Your Name
Friday, May 13: Creative Online Marketing

The cost to attend is $25 each for chamber members, or $60 for all three. Nonmembers must attend all three sessions, for which the fee is $80. Register to sbcc@rnetworx.com or 413-528-4284.

The Williamstown Chamber of Commerce will hold a breakfast meeting on Wednesday, April 13, from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at Waubeeka Golf Links, 137 New Ashford Road, Williamstown. The keynote speaker will be state Rep. Gailanne Cariddi, D-North Adams. Admission is $18 for chamber members and $22 for nonmembers; call 413-458-9077 or email info@williamstownchamber.com to register.

The Berkshire Chamber of Commerce will hold a Good News Business Salute on Wednesday, April 20, from 7:45 to 9 a.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, One West St., Pittsfield. Admission is $25 for chamber members, $35 for nonmembers. Register here.

The Northern Berkshire Business and Professional Women will hold a dinner meeting on Wednesday, April 27, at the Williams Inn, Williamstown. The keynote speaker will be Kara Lozier, community coordinator for American Councils for International Education, who will speak about the Youth Exchange and Study Program. The program begins at 6:30; the meal costs $25, with proceeds supporting the group’s community service. For meal choices and to make a reservation, contact Nancy Lescarbeau at 413-663-6083.

On Thursday, April 28, from 5 to 7 p.m., the Williamstown Chamber of Commerce will hold a networking social at the American Legion, 117 Latham St., Williamstown. Snacks and a cash bar will be available. RSVP to 413-458-9077 or info@williamstownchamber.com.

BOSTON — Unemployment declined again across the state and was down about a half point from last year at this time. The Pittsfield metro area lost jobs in February, .3 percent, but its unadjusted unemployment rate is still lower than this time last year.

The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported that the February seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates were down in 19 labor market areas; up in one area, Fall River; and unchanged in Nantucket and Tisbury. Statewide, the February seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate was 8.7 percent, a decrease of 0.2 of a percentage point from the revised January rate of 8.9 percent.
 
Over-the-year, unemployment rates were lower in 20 of the 22 areas. The Amherst and Tisbury rates were up. Over-the-year, the state unadjusted unemployment rate was down 0.6 of a percentage point from the 9.3 percent rate in February 2010.
 
In February, over-the-month jobs gains occurred in four of the areas for which job estimates are published. They were Boston-Cambridge-Quincy; Springfield; New Bedford; and Worcester areas.  Over-the-year job gains were realized in 10 of the areas while two had a loss. Job gains occurred in the Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, Worcester, Springfield, New Bedford, Barnstable, Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, Haverhill-North-Andover-Amesbury, Framingham, Pittsfield and Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner areas.

The Peabody and Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford areas lost jobs.
 
The statewide seasonally adjusted jobs estimate released on March 17 showed a 15,400 job gain. The seasonally adjusted statewide February unemployment rate of 8.2 percent was down 0.1 of a percentage point over-the-month and down 0.6 of a percentage point from the 8.8 percent rate in February 2010.  The Massachusetts statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remains well below the national rate of 8.9 percent.
 
The unadjusted unemployment rates and job estimates for the labor market areas reflect seasonal fluctuations and therefore may show different levels and trends than the statewide seasonally adjusted estimates.
 
The March 2011 unemployment rate, labor force data and jobs estimates for Massachusetts will be released on April 14, 2011; local unemployment statistics will be released on April 19, 2011.  Detailed labor market information is available at www.mass.gov/lmi.

BOSTON — The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reports that the January seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates were up in all 22 labor-market areas, including Pittsfield, reflecting seasonal trends.

Statewide, the January seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate was 9.0 percent, an increase of 1.0 percentage point from the revised December rate of 8.0 percent. Despite adding jobs over January 2010, Pittsfield's unadjusted jobless rate is 9.3 percent and North Adams is 10.5. Both those rates are down fractionally over last year.
 
Over-the-year, unemployment rates were lower in 20 of the 22 areas. The Amherst and Tisbury rates were up. Over-the-year, the state unadjusted unemployment rate was down 0.6 of a percentage point from the 9.6 percent rate in January 2010.
 
In January seasonal influences resulted in over-the-month jobs losses in all 12 areas for which job estimates are published.  However, over-the-year job gains were realized in nine of the areas while three had a loss. Job gains occurred in the New Bedford, Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, Worcester; Barnstable, Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, Haverhill-North-Andover-Amesbury, Pittsfield, Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner and Springfield areas.  The Peabody, Framingham, and Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford areas lost jobs.
 
The statewide seasonally adjusted jobs estimate released on March 3rd showed a 5,600 job gain. The commonwealth has added 33,800 jobs since December 2009. The seasonally adjusted statewide January unemployment rate of 8.3 percent was unchanged over-the-month and down 0.5 of a percentage point from the 8.8 percent rate in January 2010. The Massachusetts statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remains well below the national rate of 9.0 percent.
 
The unadjusted unemployment rates and job estimates for the labor market areas reflect seasonal fluctuations and therefore may show different levels and trends than the statewide seasonally adjusted estimates.
 
NOTES: The local area unemployment rates and labor force data have been revised for 2010; the revised estimates for 2006 through 2009 will be published on March 29, 2011.  The labor area jobs data have been revised for 2009 and 2010.
 
The February 2011 unemployment rate, labor force data and jobs estimates for Massachusetts will be released on March 17, 2011; local unemployment statistics will be released on March 29, 2011.  Detailed labor market information is available at www.mass.gov/lmi. See the revised February, 2011 Media Advisory annual schedule for complete listing of release dates also at www.mass.gov/lmi.

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