NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Nov. 16, 2018
Information Contact: Craig Shaul (208) 332-3570 ext. 3201 or Karen Jarboe Singletary (208) 332-3570 ext. 3215
Idaho’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stayed at 2.7 percent in October, unchanged from September and continuing at or below 3 percent for the 14th consecutive month.
The state’s labor force – the total number of people 16 years of age and older working or looking for work – was essentially unchanged since July at 853,444.
Information provided in this article is from professional sources, news releases, weekly and daily newspapers, television and other media.
Benewah County
Kootenai County
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Nov. 2, 2018
Information Contact: John Russ, (208) 332-3570 ext. 3303 or Georgia Smith, (208) 332-3570 ext. 2102
Idaho apprenticeship programs and apprentices are on the rise across Idaho and the nation. As the number of Idaho businesses sponsoring apprenticeships more than doubled from 2016 to 2018, the number of registered apprentices increased 67 percent.
Idaho Department of Labor Director Melinda Smyser attributes the increase to more Idaho training centers, technical schools, community colleges and institutions delivering industry-specific instruction, technical education and other certified training through Registered Apprenticeships in a variety of ways.
Idaho’s economy has been one of the most dynamic among all the states in recent years. Over the past five years, Idaho has consistently been at the top of the charts in terms of job creation, and only Utah has created jobs as quickly. Recently, the Idaho Department of Labor completed a new round of labor market projections which anticipate that Idaho’s strong rate of job creation will continue into the foreseeable future.
This new analysis forecasts that Idaho’s total employment will reach 840,000 by 2026, up from a 2016 total of about 735,000. This amounts to approximately 105,000 new jobs created in 10 years, which represents a 14.4 percent increase. This indicates that Idaho is expected to substantially outpace the rest of the nation in job creation. Equivalent projections from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projected total U.S. employment to grow by only 7.7 period in the same time period (1). Continue reading
After a year of planning, a new program at Saint Alphonsus that prepares individuals for an environmental services technician (EVS) apprenticeship kicked off in September.
The free EVS Pre-apprenticeship Program at Saint Alphonsus in Boise and Nampa started as a conversation in August 2017 involving Saint Alphonsus, the Idaho Hospital Association and the Idaho Department of Labor.
The hospital was having difficulty filling EVS technician positions. These techs provide a vital function, ensuring hospitals are safe, clean and infection-free. Among other duties, they are trained to safely collect, store and dispose of hazardous materials.
Labor workforce consultant Ofelia Morales and representatives of the College of Western Idaho (CWI) Workforce Development and the Boise office of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), met with Saint Alphonsus’ EVS program staff to discuss the issue.
“Each of the partners has pieces to share,” Morales said. The Department of Labor helps with the cost of the apprenticeship for qualifying individuals through the federal Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act program. “IRC has case managers, CWI offers the class and Saint Alphonsus offers the jobs,” Morales said. The first pre-apprenticeship class has been funded and managed through the ESL Pathways Program at CWI.
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Oct. 19, 2018
Information Contact: Karen Jarboe Singletary (208) 332-3570 ext. 3215 or Craig Shaul (208) 332-3570 ext. 3201
Idaho’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined slightly to 2.7 percent in September, continuing at or below 3 percent for the 13th consecutive month.
The state’s labor force – the total number of people 16 years of age and older working or looking for work – was 853,076 people, essentially unchanged since July.
Total employment increased by 885 to 829,793 while the number of unemployed people decreased by 729 to 23,283.
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Oct. 16, 2018
Information Contact: Renee Bade, (208) 332-3578
ext. 4061
The deadline to submit nominations for the annual Idaho’s Brightest Star Awards has been extended until Oct. 26, 2018. The annual award program, presented by Serve Idaho, the Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism, recognizes outstanding Idaho volunteers in a variety of categories.
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Oct. 12, 2018
Information Contact: Jose DeLeon, Idaho Department of Labor, (208) 364-7781 ext. 3620
Job seekers are encouraged to attend an event at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa Oct. 17, from 3 – 6 p.m., as part of the MADE HERE! EXPO & JOB FAIR in support of National Manufacturing Day and Idaho Manufacturing Month.
At least half of the 75 plus exhibitors representing manufacturing and related industries will be recruiting workers during the event. The expo, organized by Southwest Idaho Manufacturers’ Alliance, also targets parents, teachers and students with interactive displays, information about the modern manufacturing environment and the numerous career opportunities available in the industry.
Information provided in this article is from professional sources, news releases, weekly and daily newspapers, television and other media.
Boundary County
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Oct. 5, 2018
Information Contact:Renee Bade, (208) 332-3578 ext. 4061
Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter appointed Farhana Hibbert, regional director for Senator Mike Crapo, to Serve Idaho, the Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism.
“Ms. Hibbert brings a wealth of knowledge about the Pocatello community and great enthusiasm for the role of volunteers,” said Renee Bade, program manager for Serve Idaho.
In her positions as regional director, Hibbert coordinates and manages official Senate office activities in a seven-county region. She previously owned IDAHO Unido, Idaho’s bilingual English/Spanish newspaper. Hibbert is actively engaged in the community volunteering with the Pocatello/Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce, the Southeast Idaho Veterans Advisory Council, the Southeast Idaho Republican Women, as well as a host of other organizations. Continue reading