Economic improvement on the horizon in Wayne County
By Angela Bases
January 26, 2012
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Richard Owens, director of the Wayne County Department of Job and Family Services, has a few strategies for determining whether or not the economy is improving. One of those includes observing the job board in the workforce program in the lower level of their building.
Last year at this time, the wall that contains job opportunities was sparse; a depressing representation of the work available to community members. Now it is nearly filled, and Owens can admire the board with hope and optimism.
So, were seeing a lot more jobs posted, were getting a lot more job orders coming in from employers. Were getting a lot more inquiries as to what we can provide as far as training for people coming into the workforce, Owens explained.
The Department of Job and Family Services works with employers to match community members with positions. Their goal is to move clients from dependence to a place of independence.
Right now there are jobs available for skilled workers. What were finding is we cant find people who are skilled with their hands anymore. A lot of people want office jobs. They want to be working in a controlled environment, Owens continued.
Some of the jobs he mentioned were positions for welders, CNC operators and pipe fitters. Owens said these jobs can offer a very decent living, contrary to the popular public belief.
Likewise, Wayne County is home to three technical schools, creating a wealth of collaboration prospects. He added that employers are looking for workers with a strong work ethic, appropriate expectations for the job and an ability to pass a drug screen.
In our county, weve seen the unemployment rate start to dip, weve seen more job orders going up, but we still have about 7,500, maybe a little more than that, active cases, Owens added.
In addition to job placement, they also offer cash assistance, medical coverage, food assistance, education and training, child care, medical transportation, employment transportation and shelter assistance.
Owens discussed some of the misconceptions society has about those receiving public assistance. The first is that people can obtain cash assistance forever. Three years is the maximum amount of time an adult can receive cash assistance in the state of Ohio, unless hardship is proven. The second is the stereotype that those participating in the programs have luxurious cars and belongings. He reports this as a falsehood, and added that many of the people participate fully in their workforce programa contradiction to the myth.
Cash assistance and food assistance and Medicaid you can have all of those things at the maximum dollar amount and youre still not getting enough to survive, Owens said. I just hope that our unemployment continues to go down, that our efforts to help people continue to make a difference in peoples lives. I really think were beginning to see a turn in the economy, at least in our area, and that 2012 will be a better year for our citizens than 2011 was, and that 2013 will be even better than that.
