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Wednesday, July 8, 2009
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Frustration grows in tough job market SPECIAL REPORT: Brainerd's jobless rate Senior Reporter For jobseekers, it can be difficult to understand why they can't find employment.
"That's really frustrating, knowing that I could do the job, it's just getting the chance or getting my foot in the door to show them that is the problem," said Joan Gillette, Crosby, who has been out of work since she was laid off from her maintenance job with Crow Wing County about 10 months ago.
Gillette, who has a boiler's license and a mechanical background, said after putting out more than 100 resumes she had 10 calls for interviews. None turned into jobs. But Gillette knows she's not alone.
"It's not just me, there are thousands of people out of work and they are probably thinking the same thing 'why can't I get a job?' ... There is something out there eventually and eventually I am going to find a job. That's the way you have to look at it."
With a 15.7 jobless rate for May, Brainerd leads the state in unemployment numbers for cities of more than 10,000. The jobless percentage translates to about 1,214 people in the labor force who are out now of work in Brainerd.
Each has a story.
Gillette is determined to stay positive.
"I've been fortunate to have a savings account," she said. "Some people live paycheck to paycheck, so that's where it helped me. I saved for rainy days. I'm a tightwad and it paid off this time. I know there are individuals struggling right now."
Craig Nathan, operations manager at the WorkForce Center in Brainerd, said he wasn't surprised at the jobless rate here with losses in construction and manufacturing.
"We've seen an increasing number of small manufacturers laying off 15 and 20 people," Nathan said.
Other companies are using the state's Shared Work Program to keep workers part time as they work reduced hours and collect unemployment for the rest.
Nathan said in times of big unemployment the opportunity for retraining becomes the best option. There is funding and stimulus money to retrain people who qualify. The WorkForce Center is working on retraining in fields of alternative energy and green construction, along with administrative office assistants.
When the economy picks up, Nathan said he believes there will be a good response to those workers. Stimulus money for youth summer jobs helped put 297 young people to work through the center this summer. There were 80 young people still on the waiting list. Nathan said a small amount of additional funding is being used to reduce the list as struggling families look to that added income to help.
About 40 new faces typically show up for dislocated worker orientation sessions hosted at the WorkForce Center every two weeks. For Sue Hilgart, WorkForce Center team leader, one of the difficult parts is seeing people who are repeat visitors after being laid off a second time.
"That's a sad trend we are seeing," she said.
Hilgart said the unemployment numbers for Brainerd are jarring, but there are positive pockets from Wausau Paper's adding jobs with equipment at the Brainerd mill or good-paying jobs created with a call center in Pequot Lakes.
"Unfortunately it's not the same number of jobs coming available that have been lost," Hilgart said.
Lisa Paxton, Brainerd Lakes Chamber chief executive officer, was encouraged the recent May jobless rate in Brainerd fell nearly 5 percent since April posted a 20.2 percent rate.
"Thank goodness for the hospitality industry that gives us a summer boost," she said.
Other businesses, in keeping an eye toward a healthy bottom line, have been slow to hire, perhaps utilizing temporary workers more, Paxton said.
"A lot of our growth was built on that construction boom," Paxton said, noting the substantial growth in the lakes area for the past five to seven years before the housing meltdown.
Paxton said the lakes area has a lot of good business owner/operators who are trying to do everything they can to stay viable and be in a strong position when the recession ends.
Gillette's husband, Doug, also was laid off from his job. He created his own work by recently opening the Baxter Dollar Store. Joan Gillette continues to look for work. Part time or full time. Near or far. She's willing to commute to the Twin Cities. She knows people are having a tough time balancing necessities like the food bill and the house payment.
"It's hard to survive now and on what people want to pay you," Gillette said. "It's tough. All we can hope for is that it's going to get better real soon. I don't know how many more people can lose jobs."
The WorkForce Center, in the Community Services Building on Laurel Street in Brainerd, provides free services for jobseekers with a job bank, resume and interviewing assistance, a resource room, training and job search classes.
Nathan said: "The best place to be when there aren't jobs is training to be prepared for the future."
RENEE RICHARDSON may be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.
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