Monthly Archives: August 2024

Free apprenticeship children’s book is available for schools to order

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Aug. 8, 2024
Media Contact: Gina.Robison@labor.idaho.gov

The children’s book, “Booper Dreams Big: An Almost True Story of Apprenticeship,” is available for Idaho schools and libraries to order before Aug. 30 at no cost.

Kindergarten to fifth grade students will follow Booper the dog as he learns the value of career education through his apprenticeship as a satellite technician.

The book was created on behalf of the Idaho Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship Idaho program and comes in both English and bilingual (English-Spanish) versions.

Continue reading →

Idaho LAUNCH increases employment and wages for correctional officers and jailers

The Idaho LAUNCH program is helping to fill critical first responder roles. Idaho LAUNCH is a one-time grant that encourages Idaho residents to study and prepare for in-demand jobs. One such career category is correctional officers and jailers (Standard Occupational Classification of 33-3012). Wages for this career path have increased steadily in recent years and employment has returned to pre-pandemic levels.

From 2018 to 2023, the average wage for correctional officers and jailers increased from $19.09 to $24.82 per hour. Employment numbers have also increased from their recent 2022 low of 1,530 to approximately 1,800 in 2023. LAUNCH can help fill these critical openings to keep employment and wages on the rise.

Continue reading →

Industries in the Idaho Falls area see an increase in job postings

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Aug. 1, 2024
Media Contact: Maria.Martin@labor.idaho.gov

Job postings in construction, education services, finance and insurance, manufacturing, transportation and material handling industries have increased this past month, said Labor Economist Ryan Whitesides.

“We are seeing a rare state of equilibrium based on the amount of unemployed people and the number of jobs being posted locally. They both were at around 1,100 as of June,” Whitesides said. “With area unemployment sitting at 3.1%, finding a job is a bit more competitive than it was say one, or even two years ago.”

Continue reading →