LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i’s not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for July ended at 7.8 percent while the state of Hawai‘i finished at 6.4 percent, states the Hawai‘i Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. The seasonally-adjusted rate for the state ended at 6.4 percent,
LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i’s not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for July ended at 7.8 percent while the state of Hawai‘i finished at 6.4 percent, states the Hawai‘i Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.
The seasonally-adjusted rate for the state ended at 6.4 percent, unchanged from June, and down from the 6.8 percent recorded in July 2011.
State officials said there were about 603,000 people who had jobs last month and nearly 41,000 without jobs.
Kaua‘i’s rate of 7.8 percent is down from the 8.7 percent (not seasonally adjusted) recorded in June and the 9.1 percent recorded in July 2011.
But Kaua‘i still records the second-highest unemployment rate below Moloka‘i which posted a 16.1 percent rate, up from the 15.3 percent in June and 16.0 in July 2011.
During the second quarter of 2012, Kaua‘i County gained 350 wage and salary jobs, or 1.3 percent from the same quarter of 2011, states a release from the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.
Accommodation gained 400 jobs followed by Food Services and Drinking Places with 300 jobs while Retail Trade and Professional and Business Services both lost 250 jobs.
But economic conditions were favorable as visitor arrivals by air increased 6.6 percent and visitor days increased 8.4 percent on Kaua‘i, leading to an increase in the hotel occupancy rate to 70 percent, a gain of 9.7 percentage point in the quarter.
Additionally, the second quarter growth rates of the values of total private building permits were positive with Kaua‘i showing an increase of $2.6 million, or a 15.8 percent increase, the smallest of three islands including Honolulu (42.1 percent) and Maui (76 percent). No second quarter data was available for the Big Island.
Work Wise Kaua‘i Job Fair on Oct. 3
Eric Nordmeier, branch manager of the Work Wise Kaua‘i, announced its 11th Kaua‘i Job Fair for the County of Kaua‘i which will take place on Oct. 3 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall in Lihu‘e, hosted by Work Wise Kaua‘i, the County of Kaua‘i and Kaua‘i Workforce Investment Board, the county’s Policy Board for employment and training activities on Kaua‘i.
Deadline for employers to submit a completed registration form to the Work Wise office is Sept. 26, Nordmeier said.
Nordmeier said Work Wise Kaua‘i is for anyone looking for a job, or employers looking for employees — a one-stop job center. Work Wise Kaua‘i is located in the Lihu‘e Civic Center, Pi‘ikoi Building, at the site formerly occupied by Singer.
Work Wise is the means by which people can take advantage of the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998 which provides the framework for a national workforce preparation and employment system, states the Work Wise website.
The WIA authorizes and funds a number of employment and training programs on Kaua‘i to help prepare the island’s people to participate in the workforce by increasing their employment and earnings potential, improving their educational and occupational skills, and, in some cases, reducing their dependency on welfare.
Job seekers, including dislocated workers, youth, incumbent workers and new entrants to the workforce, and employers looking for employees and seeking employment resources and information are the two primary groups served by the WIA.
Work Wise Kaua‘i provides the “one-stop delivery system” full range of services, including employment, training and education services for job seekers. Services available to employers include resources for placing job orders and obtaining referrals, labor market data, training programs and other employment related assistance.
Nordmeier said Work Wise offers workshops on a number of job seeking subjects including the monthly Resume Writing and Job Interviews workshops.
Organizations participating with Work Wise Kaua‘i include Alu Like, State of Hawai‘i Department of Human Services, State Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, Kaua‘i Community College, Kaua‘i Community School for Adults, Kaua‘i Economic Opportunity, State of Hawai‘i Unemployment Insurance and State of Hawai‘i Workforce Development Division.
Visit www.workwisekauai.com or call 274-3056 for more information.
