State unemployment No. 1 in country

MCT

At an all-time low, job prospects in Michigan are dismal.

Seventy-eight counties out of 83 in Michigan reported an increase of nearly 2 percent in jobless rates, according to the Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth. Isabella County was positioned at the bottom of the list at 7.2 percent.

According to the Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth the state’s unemployment rate for February was 12 percent, the highest it has been since January 1984. It was a slight increase from January’s 11.6 percent, while the U.S. jobless rate for February was 8.1 percent.

Currently, Michigan holds the number one spot for unemployment in the country, said Rick Waclawek, director of the state Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth.

“Rhode Island was the only state to beat Michigan out once for the highest unemployment rate in the last 12 months,” he said, with the northern counties in the Lower Peninsula being the worst.

As of January, Mackinac County had the highest unemployment rate in the state at 27.6 percent, he said.

“There has been an economic downturn in the northern counties, especially in the winter because skiing and snowmobiling are down this year,” Waclawek said. “There is just less money to spend on leisure and travel.”

Future of unemployment,

industry in Michigan

Almost all major industries in the state, including business, retail and construction, recorded unemployment increases according to the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth.

There are numerous plans and propositions being made to help unemployment.

“No Worker Left Behind is one of the main things being done to help,” he said. “This offers education and training to the unemployed so they can earn the skills and degrees they need in order to get jobs.”

Professor of economics Michael Shields said that Gov. Jennifer Granholm is very concerned about trying to bring jobs into Michigan.

“The governor is trying to diversify the structure of employment so that other types of jobs can be created,” Shields said.

The federal stimulus package is another large opportunity that will focus on “shovel-ready projects” and construction, Waclawek said. Shields said the $787 billion bill will help, but is too small.

“Although it will help some, the stimulus package is not sufficiently large enough to bring us out of a recession,” Shields said. “Michigan cannot do much in short-term because they have a balanced, limited budget within the state.”

While the future for unemployment is unknown, Shields thinks it could take some time to recover.

“There will be visible effects for the future, but this year will pretty much be in bad condition,” Shields said. “Michigan should be able to bottom out by the end of the year and start on the road to recovery.”

metro@cm-life.com