Washington County has one of lowest unemployment rates

Washington County has the lowest unemployment rate in southeastern Iowa, according to statistics released by the Iowa Workforce Development. Washington County posted an unemployment rate of 4.9 percent for July, the same rate as neighboring Johnson County. Washington County?s unemployment rate is down slightly from where it was a year ago when it was 5 percent.

Communications director for Iowa Workforce Development Kerry Koonce said Washington County has approximately 11,700 people in the labor force. She said the labor force refers to the number of people who are of working age and who can work. Of these 11,700 people, 600 are unemployed.

Louisa and Keokuk counties have unemployment rates of 6.3 percent while Henry County?s is at 7.4. Henry County?s number is among the highest in southeast Iowa but noticeably lower than it was a year ago when it was 8.3 percent. Lee County, which borders Missouri and Illinois, has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state at 9 percent. Hamilton County in central Iowa has the highest unemployment in the state at 10.8 percent, significantly higher than it was a year ago when it was 7.3 percent.

Koonce said the manufacturing sector of Iowa?s economy has been the hardest hit during the recession.

?Manufacturing lost 35,000 jobs statewide,? she said. ?The construction industry is right behind it. A lot of that is because the construction industry is based on the housing industry, which is also going through a downturn.?

Not all sectors of the economy shrank. Koonce said health care continued to grow throughout the recession.

?Part of it is because Iowa has an aging population, so there is more need for health care services than before,? she said.

Iowa Workforce Development provides services to people who are looking for work. Koonce said people can go to the IWD?s Web site where they can create a profile for employers to look at and receive tips about updating their resume. Koonce said those who are unemployed should think about upgrading their skill set so that it matches what employers are looking for.

?You can go to school in approved training courses and keep your unemployment benefits through the workforce investment act,? Koonce said. ?As we go into a stronger recovery, the jobs created may not match those who are unemployed. That?s why it?s important to work on your skills. Some people are laid off from basic manufacturing jobs. If a new manufacturing job comes in, it may require technical skills that the unemployed don?t have.?

Koonce said the average age of community college students has risen dramatically in recent years because more and more adults are going back to school. She said some adults are comfortable going to school all day while others prefer to take night classes.

One problem that can befall job seekers is called the ?discouraged worker syndrome.?

?You feel you?ve looked and looked, and sent out hundreds of resumes but nothing works,? Koonce said. ?The thing to remember is to target your job search to positions you?re qualified for. Sending 10 resumes to positions you?re qualified for is better than sending 100 to jobs you don?t have the skill set for.?

Koonce said that sending out resumes is not good enough to get a job, especially in the current market in which employers receive an abundance of them.

?You need to follow up by calling employers,? Koonce said. ?Use your networking opportunities to learn of jobs before they are posted.?