The unemployment rate in Long Beach has dropped 1.2 percent since July, yet it has not seemed to affect many people from Cal State Long Beach or its surrounding areas.
According to the Long Beach Post, unemployment in the city was down to 13.5 percent in February after being at a record high of 14.7 percent in July of 2009.
While these numbers are still relatively high, the drop can be attributed to 1,100 new local jobs created by increased port productivity and major public improvement projects, the Long Beach Post reported.
“I think it is an improvement on the overall health of the economy and it will give grads for this year a better chance to find a job,” graduate student Heather Clayton said.
The national unemployment rate has been declining since last year, dropping to 8.8 percent last month.
But although nationwide unemployment rates are improving, California continues to have one of the highest in the country — second only to Nevada — at 12.2 percent.
The figures are much worse for younger students.
The unemployment rate for Californians aged 16 to 19 has been hovering around 25 percent since the end of 2009.
Scott Liechty, assistant manager for Trader Joe’s on Bellflower Boulevard, said that they have experienced a consistent amount of people in search of jobs, but no more than usual in the past couple of months.
He also said that he is in the process of hiring three new employees and that most employees tend to remain at the store because, if they leave, there is nowhere else to get a job.
“There’s really been no turnover in the last couple years,” he said.
Economics professor Philip Trevezas said that the benefits and implications of this drop in unemployment is good. Unemployment is still at a high level, he said, but it’s encouraging. Trevezas added that this would benefit graduates and students who are in the workforce in the area.
According to an informal survey of 50 CSULB students conducted by the Daily 49er on April 5:
- 27 percent of the students asked are employed;
- 21 percent have recently been looking for a job;
- 24 percent of the students who said they have recently been looking for a job said that they have also recently found it easier to find a job.
When asked, many CSULB students said they haven’t been looking for a job lately.
While many effects of the drop in unemployment are yet to be seen in the areas around CSULB, some are optimistic.
“As the economy improves they [people] have a better chance of finding a job,” Trevezas said.
Disclaimer: The Daily 49er is not responsible for Postings made on www.daily49er.wpengine.com. Persons commenting are solely responsible for Postings made on this website. Persons commenting agree to the Terms of Use of the website. If Postings do not abide by the Rules of Conduct or Posting Regulations as listed in the Postings Policy, the Daily 49er has all rights to delete Postings as it deems necessary. The Daily 49er strongly advises individuals to not abuse their First Amendment rights, and to avoid language suggestive of hate speech. This site also encourages users to make Postings relevant to the article or other Postings.
