Jobless Rate Stays Level as Salaried Hires Rise

Although the number of salaried jobs increased from one year ago, unemployment in Ventura County remained steady at 7.6% in September, according to a new report by the state Employment Development Department.

Total wage and salary employment stood at 257,500 jobs in September, up 200 from August and representing an overall increase of 3,400 jobs from one year ago, according to the report released Friday.

Nonfarm jobs gained by 700, while farm production and services payrolls fell by 500 positions.

Education posted a 1,100-job increase, primarily due to the start of school.

Monday’s report shows increases in the transportation and public utilities sectors, while the trade and service sectors both posted losses.

State labor analyst Dee Johnson said the county is riding a wave of growth following the recession on the strength of goods producers.

“Over the year I see excellent growth in what I would consider significant industries, primarily the goods-producing industries,” she said.

For example, the 5,000 industrial machinery jobs reported in September is 16.3% ahead of the same period last year.

And instruments and related products posted an 11.1% gain over September 1996, with jobs increasing from 900 to 1,000 in the year.

“I’m still very much impressed with the overall growth in Ventura County coming out of the recession,” Johnson said.

While service producers employ 199,900 people, the 1.8% rate of growth over the last year is not as impressive as that of the goods producers, which have gained 3.8% since September 1996, according to Johnson.

“Look at goods-producing industries, which were hard hit by the recession,” Johnson said. “They don’t account for as many jobs but their rate of growth is better. They have grown by 1,400 in the last year and that’s a good sign . . . the county is experiencing a good rate of growth.”

The number of state government jobs stayed steady at 1,900 from August, but over the last year state jobs have fallen by 44%, from 3,400 in September 1996.

“Probably the loss of Camarillo State Hospital over the year would account for that,” Johnson said. “State government has been downsizing very dramatically.”

Another bright spot in the county’s employment report is communications and public utilities sectors, which grew almost 2% in September, and is up 10% over last year, providing jobs to 5,500 county residents.

“Communications seems to be growing in Ventura County more than in neighboring Santa Barbara County,” Johnson said.

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Ventura County Jobless Rate

September 1997: 7.6%

Annual Rates

1997: 6.6%

1996: 7.1%

1995: 7.5%

1994: 7.8%

Source: California Employment Development Department