Monthly Archives: April 2015

Idaho Workers on Government Assistance Among Lowest in the U.S.

The depth of the recession and a slow early recovery nearly doubled the percentage of Idaho workers who had jobs and were still receiving government assistance through Medicaid and other programs for the low income and disabled.

In jumping from 2 percent in 2008, or about 14,400 of the 727,000 employed, to 3.6 percent in 2012, or about 25,700 of 711,000 employed, Idaho still had one of the nation’s lowest percentages of workers on welfare, even with the state’s comparatively low wages. According to the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, Idaho ranked 40th among the states and the District of Columbia in 2012, up from 49th in 2008. Only Nevada at 1.4 percent and Virginia at 1.8 percent had lower percentages of workers on welfare in 2008.

Nationally, the percentage of workers receiving assistance rose from 3.9 percent in 2008 to 5.4 percent in 2014.

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Labor Department Staff Recognized with Outstanding Service Award

Five Idaho Department of Labor employees were recently recognized with Outstanding Service Awards.

Nominated by fellow staff members, these exceptional employees were chosen based on the extra care they put into their work and their drive to improve the communities where they live and work.

“It is obvious to me our employees care deeply about their work, the people they work with and their communities, well beyond any normal requirements or expectations,” said Director Ken Edmunds.

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What Can I Do if I Don’t Have Job Experience?

So what is all the fuss over experience – and why do employers set it as a requirement for various positions they wish to fill?

How do I get experience – and even more importantly, how can I break into a field if I don’t have traditional experience in that field? 

Why do employers ask for experience when they hire?

If you are changing careers or coming out of school, these questions are likely on your mind. So let’s look first at what employers are really asking for when they experience.

One thing we know about learning is that actively participating in an experience is the ultimate teacher. You may learn about things, but until you actually do the tasks necessary to accomplish something, your ability has limits. We also know that many mistakes happen early while the person is in a learning curve. So employers use experience as a general indicator of a candidate’s ability to do a job.

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Around Idaho: March Economic Activity

Information provided in this article has been gathered from various sources throughout the state, including professional sources, news releases, weekly and daily newspapers, television and other media.

Statewide
Northern Idaho
North Central Idaho
Southwestern Idaho
South Central Idaho
Southeastern Idaho
Eastern Idaho

Statewide Economic Highlights

  • North Central Idaho’s Clearwater Economic Development Association launched its “Dream It – Do It” at its annual meeting in February. Southeastern Washington is also part of the initiative which uses materials from the Manufacturing Institute to focus on developing the next generation of manufacturing employees by encouraging greater career awareness of manufacturing. The initiative is also supported by Idaho-Lewis County Technical Education Foundation, Lewis-Clark State College, the Northwest Intermountain Manufacturers Association, the Southeast Washington Economic Development Association and Valley Vision.
  • Idaho Power Co. reported 2014 net income of $189.4 million, up from $176.7 million in 2013. Last year’s high returns will allow Idaho Power to share earnings of approximately $25 million with Idaho customers under the Idaho regulatory settlement, according to Darrel Anderson, president of the utility’s parent company. Net income in the last quarter was $34.2 million, compared with $27.4 million a year earlier.

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