LEWISTON — For the first time in four years, the Lewiston CareerCenter is seeing a big jump in job openings.

In the past seven months, the number of positions posted with the center has more than doubled, from 227 in March to 519 in October. That October number is also up over October 2011 (170) and October 2010 (113).

Mary LaFontaine, manager of the Lewiston CareerCenter, believes more employers are hiring because they can’t hold off anymore; more workers are retiring and their positions have to be filled; and business leaders have greater hope for the future.

“I’m not an economist, so I want to be really clear on that. But I think, little by little, the economy is healing,” she said.

Maine CareerCenters are overseen by the Maine Department of Labor and serve employers and job-seekers. The Lewiston CareerCenter, which serves Androscoggin County and a large part of Oxford County, is one of 12 centers in the state.

Julie Rabinowitcz, spokeswoman for the Maine Department of Labor, said it’s difficult to compare job numbers at the state’s CareerCenters because some, like Portland and Bangor, are in large labor markets while others, such as Rockland, serve smaller, more seasonal markets.

However, she said, the state has seen other signs of job growth, including about 5,000 openings posted on the state’s job board, up by several hundred from a year ago. And while Maine lost 3,600 government jobs between June 2010 and June 2012, according to the department, it gained 11,700 private-sector jobs in that same time. 

The Lewiston CareerCenter has seen job openings gradually increase since 2010. Twice the center saw hiring blips — once in July 2010 when one employer had 200 openings and once in March 2011 when one employer had 75 openings. 

But LaFontaine believes the current increase is not a blip. The 519 October openings came from more than 90 businesses representing a variety of industries.

“It’s everything from health care to Class A drivers to call centers. It’s the full gamut,” LaFontaine said. 

Most of the positions are full time and some are at companies that have not used the CareerCenter to hire before. 

LaFontaine believes this hiring trend could continue into 2013 if the economy doesn’t falter again. One indication that employers plan to keep hiring: Within days of opening registration, the center filled its Jan. 8 job fair, booking all 35 tables with businesses looking to hire. 

And January is typically a slow month for hiring.

“To me, that is showing, again, this is not a blip on the screen, that the trend will continue in 2013,” she said.  

ltice@sunjournal.com

Number of job openings posted with the Lewiston CareerCenter:

October 2012: 519

October 2011: 170

October 2010: 113