Permanent losses reach past factories to retail, building construction, and even design fields.
Fewer construction workers will be needed.
Don’t expect as many interior designers or advertising copywriters, either. Retailers will get by with leaner staffs. Millions of jobs lost in the recession could be gone for good.
Unlike in past recessions, jobs in the beleaguered manufacturing sector aren’t the only ones likely lost forever. What sets the Great Recession apart is the variety of jobs that may not return.
[C. S. Rugaber, May 26, 2010]
Stanislaus County supervisors lay off 16 community services workers
The Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday agreed to lay off 16 Community Services Agency workers.
The county is cutting services for children and seniors at risk of abuse or neglect to save money. Welfare payouts and payments to in-home care providers and foster parents protected by law would not be affected, but some programs that reduce demand for foster care and nursing homes will be eliminated.
The Community Services Agency’s cost-cutting strategy includes giving up $12.5 million in state and federal social services money because the county can’t afford to put up $3.4 million as its share to secure that funding.
“Look at how screwy government funding is,” Supervisor Bill O’Brien said, noting the double-whammy to needy people. The social workers would be laid off in August, but are expected to transfer to positions in job development with salaries entirely paid by state and federal money.
Jobs are being cut across disciplines, and people are looking for any full-time or part-time job they can find.
Modesto-area unemployment rates rise
California was among 36 states that saw unemployment fall last month, but it remains among the worst-off states for jobs, tying for third-highest unemployment with Nevada and South Carolina.
The improvement in California’s overall unemployment rate comes despite the loss of another 10,200 jobs in November, according to a survey of employers.
More than 2.2 million Californians were without work in November. The number does not include the nearly 500,000 workers who have taken low-paying or part-time jobs because that’s all they could find, or the 111,000 people who reported having given up looking for work, according to the state.
The bureau says California, with the nation’s highest population, also led the U.S. in job losses in the last year, with 617,000 jobs gone.
What can we do about this? How can we bring jobs back? Not just seasonal jobs or stimulus funded jobs, but long term employment? What kind of jobs will give us the most return on our investment?
EMPLOYMENT EMPOWERMENT
- LEARN – Learn about Modesto. What are the city’s resources? What kind of labor force does Modesto have? What do area businesses think would help them thrive? What place-consciousness strategies can we build upon?
- ACT – What can you do about it? What projects and groups are already working for Modesto’s economic future? Are there any projects or goals you find particularly compelling? Tell us about which group you help out by using your own self-described super powers to give a micro-loan to, helping them kickstart Modesto’s economic future.
- IMAGINE – Unleash your creativity. Tell me about how your micro-loan strengthened the economic development of Modesto five years in the future through your videos, images, and blog posts and post a link to them in the comments below.
- Ask A Mentor for Help
Questing Heroes:
| Dark Shadow | Sad Sack | Super Mom | Corrupt Angel
My beard can only paint so many portraits and murals. I can’t be productive at a fast enough rate that would benefit Modesto as quick as possible. The economy is not getting better at a rate that would help everyone. The unemployment rate is at a stalemate, we need more jobs in the Stanislaus county.
Something needs to be done about this.
You bravely venture forth to attempt 2: Employment Empowerment…
You encountered an Economic Downturn!
– The Economic Downturn attacks!
– It has 3 hit points.
You attack the Economic Downturn and miss.
– The Economic Downturn attacks you for 3 damage.
You stab the Economic Downturn for 8 damage.
You defeat the Economic Downturn.
It was guarding 29 gold coins.
woot!
Learn. So Stanislaus county is pretty big on agriculture. Wine grapes are their number two export. We can get money into the county by encouraging more people to drink wine! Well, probably not the best idea. We could encourage consumers to support local small businesses, for starters. we should also lower taxes placed on businesses, to encourage them to hire. Lowering the capital gains tax would also encourage more investment.
I would take all those on welfare programs and attach them to apprentice ship programs so as to teach our citizens new skill and benefit the business’s that are willing to teach them…
You bravely venture forth to attempt 2: Employment Empowerment…
You encountered a Budget Cut!
– The Budget Cut attacks!
– It has 23 hit points.
You attempt to distract the Budget Cut, but fail.
– The Budget Cut slashes at you, but you dodge.
You stab the Budget Cut for 3 damage.
– The Budget Cut casts a spell at you, but you resist.
You attack the Budget Cut and miss.
– The Budget Cut slashes at you, but you dodge.
You attack the Budget Cut, but miss.
– The Budget Cut attacks, but your armour protects you.
You stab the Budget Cut for 8 damage.
– The Budget Cut attacks, but your armour protects you.
You attack the Budget Cut, but miss.
– The Budget Cut attacks you for 26 damage.
The Budget Cut defeats you.
You are paid 81 gold pieces for your bravery.
LEARN:
So I’ve noticed that a lot of people are being laid off. Xia’s uncle has been laid off from his job at NCI Buildings. His uncle has been working for the company for over 10 years and now they can’t keep everyone, so they laid off a lot of people. The thing is we are recovering from a recession and we can’t do much about it. When people are earning less they spend less so companies and businesses don’t have enough money to keep up with paying the employees so then they’re laid off. At a time like this people are willing to save rather than spend so hence this cycle.
ACT:
Hmm… what can I do to help.
Healzor tackles unemployment in Modesto!
You bravely venture forth to attempt 2: Employment Empowerment…
You encountered a Cost Saving Lay-off!
– The Cost Saving Lay-off attacks!
– It has 35 hit points.
You distract the Cost Saving Lay-off, and attack it for 5 damage.
– The Cost Saving Lay-off attacks, but your armour protects you.
You attack the Cost Saving Lay-off and miss.
– The Cost Saving Lay-off casts a spell at you, but you resist.
You stab the Cost Saving Lay-off for 11 damage.
– The Cost Saving Lay-off slashes at you, but you dodge.
You attack the Cost Saving Lay-off and miss.
– The Cost Saving Lay-off attacks, but your armour protects you.
You distract the Cost Saving Lay-off, and attack it for 5 damage.
– The Cost Saving Lay-off slashes at you, but you dodge.
You attack the Cost Saving Lay-off and miss.
– The Cost Saving Lay-off attacks you for 30 damage.
The Cost Saving Lay-off defeats you.
You are paid 91 gold pieces for your bravery.
While reading the Modesto Bee many people are still struggling to just make a living and get by. People living in Modesto with college degrees are looking for little jobs that may be public safety or help for senior citizens or programs for children. Hawn said public agencies no longer may be able to fill some of those needs. “We need to be able to figure out how people can do what government can’t do anymore,” he said. That could include driving an elderly neighbor to a doctor’s appointment, tutoring a teenager or pulling weeds on property that has become an eyesore. “We need champions,”
ACT: LET’S STOP THIS NOW!!!! That where the Swift Assassin comes in lets stop this crisis why are people losing there jobs or not having job.
You bravely venture forth to attempt 2: Employment Empowerment…
You encountered a Budget Cut!
– The Budget Cut attacks!
– It has 27 hit points.
You stab the Budget Cut for 11 damage.
– The Budget Cut attacks you for 14 damage.
You attack the Budget Cut and miss.
– The Budget Cut casts a spell at you, but you resist.
You attack the Budget Cut and miss.
– The Budget Cut attacks you for 21 damage.
The Budget Cut defeats you.
It keeps its treasure, but you are paid 62 gold pieces for your bravery.
LEARN:
In August, Modesto’s unemployment rate hit its lowest point in more than a year. It dropped over a percentage point to 16.4 percent. People are losing their jobs right and left. Job loss is affecting every aspect of our community.
Bring Jobs Back to Modesto!
This Supermom does not like seeing the economy this way. There is nothing super about Modesto’s economic status.
You bravely venture forth to attempt 2: Employment Empowerment…
Due the unseen help of pixies, your adventure is uneventful.
You find 55 gold coins while attempting 2: Employment Empowerment.
I am just a Monkey Woman. I don’t know much about business, employment, or the economy. However, it seems logical that to improve employment in Modesto businesses need to be brought in the city to create jobs.
So, I am going to start my own business…
You bravely venture forth to attempt 2: Employment Empowerment…
You encountered a Budget Cut!
– The Budget Cut attacks!
– It has 21 hit points.
You attack the Budget Cut and miss.
– The Budget Cut slashes at you, but you dodge.
You attempt to distract the Budget Cut, but fail.
– The Budget Cut attacks, but your armour protects you.
You stab the Budget Cut for 6 damage.
– The Budget Cut casts a spell at you, but you resist.
You attack the Budget Cut and miss.
– The Budget Cut attacks you for 2 damage.
You stab the Budget Cut for 11 damage.
– The Budget Cut slashes at you, but you dodge.
You stab the Budget Cut for 7 damage.
You defeat the Budget Cut.
It was guarding Environmentalism and 48 gold coins.
Learn:
Poor… Poor…Poor city of Modesto they can never catch a break. Luckily I Fierce Dream am here to help them in their desperate time of need. As I set out on Mission: employment I came across astounding facts that the Modesto employment rate has reached 17.2 percent. That is simply despicable for an agricultural city. Commercial and agriculture greatly contributes and are vital for the growth of the city by items such as dairy products, almonds, and even wine.
Act:
Enough already! It’s time for me Fierce Dreamer to help take action among these other groups that are working towards the well being of Modesto’s economic future.
You bravely venture forth to attempt 2: Employment Empowerment…
You encountered a Budget Cut!
– The Budget Cut attacks!
– It has 24 hit points.
You attack the Budget Cut, but miss.
– The Budget Cut attacks you for 21 damage.
You attack the Budget Cut, but miss.
– The Budget Cut slashes at you, but you dodge.
You stab the Budget Cut for 9 damage.
– The Budget Cut casts a spell at you, but you resist.
You stab the Budget Cut for 9 damage.
– The Budget Cut attacks, but your armour protects you.
You attack the Budget Cut and miss.
– The Budget Cut attacks you for 24 damage.
The Budget Cut defeats you.
You are paid 66 gold pieces for your bravery.
I went to yet another friend’s place of work yesterday. His mother is a manager at the store. I asked them how things were going in the job market and here’s what she had to say.
Learn
Thanks to the lack of jobs for people with a higher level of education, people with masters degrees are applying for jobs at Borders! This serious lack of jobs for those with higher levels of education has created a short fall that is trickling down into every place in society. If those with college degrees get the small jobs that are typically filled by those without degrees, it leaves a whole society of younger, less educated or even older folk who can’t get the education high and dry.
This has to stop!
You bravely venture forth to attempt 2: Employment Empowerment…
You encountered a Double-dip Recession!
– The Double-dip Recession attacks!
– It has 12 hit points.
You attack the Double-dip Recession, but miss.
– The Double-dip Recession slashes at you, but you dodge.
You attempt to distract the Double-dip Recession, but fail.
– The Double-dip Recession attacks, but your armour protects you.
You attack the Double-dip Recession, but miss.
– The Double-dip Recession slashes at you, but you dodge.
You stab the Double-dip Recession for 12 damage.
You defeat the Double-dip Recession.
It was guarding Environmentalism and 64 gold coins.
cave man addresses mission 2: employment
disguised as a regular bear i make my rounds among the unsuspecting people quietly listening to their conversations as i sift through the days trash pretending that i need a meal. what they dont know is that my belly is warm and full courtesy of the man stealing purses from old ladies. one thing i cant stand even among humans is crime. they may burn the forests with their wicked fire, but i have hope for humanity yet.
the sidewalk was busy and the smell of greasy tacos wafted through the air via the rusty vent on the side of the dirty roach coach parked nearby. there was a line nearby, people seemed to be shifting. restless. as if they were waiting for something. that something they were waiting for was hope. hope for a better future. hope for permanent jobs and sustainability. lucky my stomache was full or this could get nasty.
You bravely venture forth to attempt 2: Employment Empowerment…
You encountered an Economic Downturn!
– The Economic Downturn attacks!
– It has 10 hit points.
You attack the Economic Downturn, but miss.
– The Economic Downturn slashes at you, but you dodge.
You attempt to distract the Economic Downturn, but fail.
– The Economic Downturn casts a spell at you, but you resist.
You attack the Economic Downturn and miss.
– The Economic Downturn attacks you for 4 damage.
You stab the Economic Downturn for 12 damage.
You defeat the Economic Downturn.
– It was guarding 76 gold coins.
As of late jobs in Modesto have been dwindling and it has become a huge problem. Just ask my non-superhero persona…..she’s broke all the time and constantly complaining about not having a job. What’s that she calls herself?: “starving artist” something or other. I asked the non- super hero-having Chani to help me in this matter and she was all like “but I can’t right now. Broken shoulder…..” blah blah blah, whine, whine, whine. That story is for another time. Anyhow what to do……
Corrupt Angel Investigates: Well I figured since I’m a super hero and know nothing of “jobs” and the normal me is no help I must inform myself. What to do? Where to go? To the internets!!! Vast well of knowledge that it is. I searched Wikipedia (stupendous compendium of facts) for our fair city and found that Modesto’s main resource is agri-commerce (vegetables and such) and the workforce is mostly high school educated working class with the main group of workers being in, shocker, agri-commerce and production.
Act!!: It seems there are already several groups of the non-super kind working on the matter of how to get jobs back to our city. Many of the small- business owners also have several good ideas.
See how Corrupt Angel solved Modesto’s job crisis……
Corrupt Angel broke her shoulder =(
You bravely venture forth to attempt 2: Employment Empowerment…
You encountered a Budget Cut!
– The Budget Cut attacks!
– It has 27 hit points.
You attack the Budget Cut, but miss.
– The Budget Cut attacks, but your armour protects you.
You attempt to distract the Budget Cut, but fail.
– The Budget Cut attacks, but your armour protects you.
You stab the Budget Cut for 10 damage.
– The Budget Cut attacks you for 9 damage.
You attack the Budget Cut and miss.
– The Budget Cut attacks you for 11 damage.
The Budget Cut defeats you.
It keeps its treasure, but you are paid 66 gold pieces for your bravery.