November 3, 2017
Contact: Mary Enger, Communications Director, 636-949-1856, or 636-443-1008, menger@sccmo.org
St. Charles County, Missouri – After three consecutive months at 3.1 percent, the September 2017 unemployment rate in St. Charles County fell to 2.7 percent, a 17-year low, according to the latest, not-seasonally-adjusted figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the U.S. Department of Labor. The last time the rate was this low was in June 2000.
The unemployment rate for that same period was 2.5 percent in Wentzville, 2.6 percent in O’Fallon, 2.7 percent in St. Peters, and 3.0 percent in St. Charles City. These are the largest municipalities in the county.
“If there was any doubt about this being a new era of full employment in St. Charles County, these latest figures should put that to rest,” says Scott J. Drachnik, Director of the St. Charles County Department of Workforce & Business Development. “Almost every day we have local employers calling us for entry-level and skilled, experienced workers. As soon as we mention the current unemployment rate, you can sense the light going off as they start to realize they are in fierce competition for workers these days.”
Based on historic trends, Drachnik says a slight uptick in unemployment is expected at the end of the year and in the first quarter of 2018 because of companies adjusting their payrolls and the impact of seasonal holiday workers.
“Companies are desperate for workers and workers are desperate for good paying jobs,” he says. “We want to encourage the business community to stay competitive with their wage and benefit packages even as we encourage local employees to consider how they might transfer their skills to a new industry and a step-up in their career pursuits.”
For more information about the local economy, workforce and business growth assistance, contact the St. Charles County Department of Workforce & Business Development at 636-255-6060, or visit www.sccmo.org/Workforce.
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