June 30, 2016
Contact: Mary Enger, Communications Director, 636-949-1856, or 636-443-1008, menger@sccmo.org
St. Charles County, Missouri – The economic summary for St. Charles County is good news! The local unemployment rate continues to fall, dropping to 3 percent in May from 3.3 percent in April, while the labor force is climbing, reaching 220,981 in May, up 1,076 from the previous month. This information comes from the latest, not-seasonally-adjusted figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the U.S. Department of Labor.
“St. Charles County continues to compare favorably to Missouri overall, and to the nation,” says County Executive Steve Ehlmann. “The county’s demographics—a younger, better-educated population with strong work ethic along with a solid group of growing companies—are the reasons for this trend.”
After ending 2015 with 3 percent unemployment, the rate rose to 4 percent in January 2016, but then steadily declined throughout the first two quarters of the year. While this is a normal cycle, according to staff at the Missouri Job Center of St. Charles County, the unemployment rate for 2016 overall is lower than in 2015, and the decline has been more rapid.
According to the BLS, Wentzville had the lowest May unemployment rate among the county’s larger cities with 2.5 percent. Other local city rates included O’Fallon, 2.7 percent; St. Peters, 2.8 percent; and St. Charles City, 3.2 percent.
The continuing influx of new residents in St. Charles County, graduations and certifications of skilled workers all contributed to the county’s increase in workforce. Year to date, labor force has increased by 3,487.
Ehlmann says that with a strong economic outlook, wages and benefit packages become more competitive as employers compete to recruit and retain both skilled and unskilled workers. The more college education or vocational training an individual can obtain, the higher chances he or she will achieve a permanent, well-paid position.
“This is a great time to look for a new job or start a new career,” Ehlmann says. “I encourage local employers and job-seekers alike to utilize the excellent services available at the Missouri Job Center of St. Charles County.”
For more information about job-seeker resources and workshops available at the Missouri Job Center of St. Charles County, please call 636-255-6060 or visit http://www.sccmo.org/Workforce-Business-Development.
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