Isabella County ranks third lowest in unemployment

Michigan’s unemployment rate is rising, but Isabella County experienced a 0.9 percent decrease from July’s unemployment rate.

According to the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth, Isabella County’s unemployment rate for August ranks third lowest in the state, at 6.1 percent.

And there’s a reason it’s low compared to other counties in the state.

“Employment is less dependent on manufacturing,” said Paul Natke, economics department chairman.

Natke said it’s usually lower than the state average because the county’s employment is less dependent on manufacturing jobs. The county has avoided the manufacturing job loss, because most jobs in the county are in the service sector, he said.

The county’s biggest employers are the Soaring Eagle Casino, 6800 Soaring Eagle Blvd., and Central Michigan University, along with various governmental agencies, Natke said.

Dennis Dunlap, regional career technical education administrator for the Gratiot/Isabella Regional Education Service District, said the county has a large student population who aren’t counted.

Last week, the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth announced the state’s unemployment rate increased to 8.9 percent in August after remaining the same for the previous three months. The rate jumped 0.4 percent from July and 1.7 percent from August 2007.

Total employment throughout the state fell by 36,000 in August.

Although the county’s jobless rate is relatively low compared to the state – a 2.8 percent difference – Dunlap said the county’s unemployment is still a problem.

Dunlap said the ability for businesses to locate in local communities needs to be easier and more attractive. And because the manufacturing business requires different skill sets and higher education, would-be-workers need training.

“Manufacturing does not look like it did 20 years ago,” he said. “You have to have more than a high school diploma now to compete in the job market.”

However, as the state’s unemployment rate is expected to continue rising, Natke doesn’t think the county will see the kind of numbers other counties are experiencing.

“I think we’re still going to have a relatively low unemployment rate,” Natke said.

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