Unemployment went down in Jasper County during December according to labor market information released this (Tuesday) morning by Iowa Workforce Development. 540 Jasper County workers were looking for jobs in November. But in December…the labor monitoring agency says that number fell to just 470. That, along with the County’s labor force losing 340 workers, dropped the County’s December unemployment rate to 2.6-percent. It was an even 3-percent in November, when the County had 17-thousand 730 workers filling jobs. Last month…Iowa Workforce Development had that number at 17-thousand 460. Agency Director Beth Townsend says statewide…the workforce lost 8-thousand 500 workers last month.
According to Townsend, there are some 60-thousand unfilled jobs in Iowa. She notes industries like healthcare have a lot to offer employees.
Townsend notes Workforce Development can help you assess your skills and apply for a job. Iowa’s December unemployment rate dropped slightly from November, going from 3.3 to 3.2-percent. Jasper’s rate is just over half a percent below that. The December Jobless rates for the surrounding counties are 1.8-percent in Marion; 1.9-percent in Story; 2.4-percent in Warren, 2.5-percent in Poweshiek; 2.6-percent inMarion and Polk counties; 4.7-percent in Tama, and 6.7-percent in Marshall.