According to findings by the Northwest Indiana Workforce Board (NWIWB), job orders posted by companies through the state WorkOne system have risen dramatically in March. Indiana Career Connect (ICC), the state's online labor exchange, showed a 40% increase in the number of open and available jobs in Northwest Indiana last month. At the beginning of March, there were a little more than 1,000 open and available positions in ICC. As of Thursday, April 1, 2010, there were more than 1,400 open and available job postings, an increase of 400.
Concurrent with the NWIWB findings, the U.S. Department of Labor recently announced that jobless claims for the nation are down and several national online job search websites, such as Monster and Indeed, have reported that their job postings are up across the board. The Monster Employment Index for March 2010 is up 6 percent as compared to the same time last year. The local, state, and national unemployment rates are still elevated and have risen slightly this year so far. However, if companies follow through and fill these positions, the unemployment rate should fall accordingly.
For further information regarding NWIWB or the Northwest Indiana WorkOne system, call 219-462-2940.
The Northwest Indiana Workforce Board (NWIWB) works to mobilize and integrate the leadership, services, and resources of the community to support workforce development by strategically planning and developing public policy for workforce development; oversee the WorkOne system; develop and allocate resources for workforce development; and participate in related economic development activities.
WorkOne is the comprehensive statewide career and employment resource for job seekers and employers in Indiana.