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Siouxland employers ready to hire?

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KTIV) -- Nationally, many businesses are growing again, or at least stabilizing. On Thursday, the Labor Department reports initial jobless claims fell last week to the lowest level in ten months. But are Siouxland businesses ready to hire?

Some local experts say we're not out of the woods yet and that it may even get worse before it gets better. Here in Siouxland, unemployment rates continue to climb.

Sioux City's Iowa Workforce Development office covers a five county area in Northwest Iowa. They say unemployment is at 5.6%, the highest level since the first of the year.

Despite the fact that Stream is hiring in Sergeant Bluff, experts say that seems to be the exception rather than the rule.

The Midwest has been somewhat immune to the recession due to its strong agricultural and agribusiness base.

"We're shielded a little bit because we have a lot of food processing," says Diane Neri of Iowa Workforce Development.

However, because the recession has lagged in the region, the recovery will also be slower. That's evident in Siouxland unemployment rates, which have risen since the beginning of the year and look like they have yet to hit their peak.

Neri says, "We're at a higher level of unemployment now than what we were in January of 2009. And I expect it will probably get worse before it gets better."

Layoffs have come in the manufacturing sector for companies like Pella in Sioux Center. However, despite the layoffs, that doesn't mean there aren't jobs available. And there are certain sectors that are hiring such as the medical industry.

Neri says, "I've seem some new job openings for RNs, LPNs, CNAs and lab techs."

There's also a call for skilled laborers in carpentry and of course seasonal workers.

Neri says, "Right now because we're going into the Christmas season there will be a lot of availability in the retail sector."

Neri says while the number of job openings is down from a year ago, there is a wide range of postings with salaries ranging from minimum wage to $80,000 per year.

Neri says be warned though, the competition for job openings at Stream or any other business is extremely high. Employers say, to get hired in this type of economic environment, you must be willing to retrain.