Positive Forecast for NJ Unemployment [AUDIO]

Even amidst some recent bad news, there's a positive outlook for the future of unemployment in the state.

Nationally, unemployment is at seven percent, largely in part to a slowly recovering economy. James Hughes, Rutgers economics professor and Dean of the Edward J. Bloustein Business School, says New Jersey could be on a similar track.

"We'll see a steady decline in the unemployment rate, but we're still probably going to lag the nation," Hughes said.

Much of the hiring will be from the technical and professional services and health care sectors, according to Hughes, as well the transportation and warehousing industries.

"New Jersey is the third-largest warehouse distribution market in the country, and that has shown a lot of new construction recently," Hughes said.

Hughes also acknowleged the importance of adding quality jobs to strengthen the economy.

"Technically, we've been adding a lot of wait staff jobs and low-paying jobs in the services," Hughes said. "We have been creating high-paying jobs, but they're still not the majority."