Jobs Picture May Be Brighter

Layoffs will far outnumber hires in western Ventura County during the first quarter of 1993, but the job outlook in the county is improving, according to the latest employer survey by Manpower Inc.

Cutbacks are planned by 30% of the firms in Oxnard, Ventura and Camarillo surveyed by the temporary help concern. This compares with 20% that expect to increase their payrolls, 47% that predict no change and 3% that are unsure of their plans.

Three months ago, the job picture was arguably darker. At that time, 24% of the Oxnard Plain companies surveyed said they expected layoffs in this year’s fourth quarter--compared with the 10% that planned new hirings.

A year ago, with the county headed deeper into the recession, 17% of the companies questioned predicted layoffs while only 3% expected to add workers.

Linda Hawkins, customer service representative in Manpower’s Ventura office, said 45 of the county’s largest companies were contacted in the latest survey.

“The industrial companies were especially pessimistic, which is usually the case this time of year,” she said. “On the other hand, people who hire word-processing, secretarial and general office personnel said they expect to be hiring.”

Hawkins said few of the county’s retailers expect to add workers during the first quarter. “But I expect job opportunities in that group to improve later in the year, especially if the economy picks up.”

Job prospects in Ventura County are not as bright as in Southern California as a whole, the survey found. In the overall region, 13% of employers said they plan new hiring in the coming quarter, while 15% predicted layoffs, 66% expected no change and 6% were unsure.

The California Employment Development Department said 35,500 Ventura County residents are out of work. The county’s jobless rate rose to 9.3% in October, compared with 9.1% in September and 7.4% in October, 1991.