Employers challenged to find qualified workers

Unemployment rates dipped last month in the Corridor despite the seasonal loss of jobs in education.

Iowa Workforce Development on Tuesday reported the jobless rate in the Cedar Rapids metropolitan statistical area (MSA) was 3.6 percent last month, down from 3.7 percent in June. The number of residents employed in non-farm jobs dropped by 2,500 to 140,800 in July from 143,300 in June.

Total employment dipped by 200 jobs from 138,500 in June to 138,200 last month. Educational and health services also recorded a seasonal loss of 300 jobs.

The number of unemployed declined by 100 to 5,200 as the workforce contracted by 400 to 143,400. Mike Owen, executive director of the Iowa Policy Project in Iowa City, said the jobless rate as a percentage dipped as the workforce declined.

The unemployment rate in the Iowa City MSA edged down to 2.8 percent in July from 2.9 percent in June. Nonfarm employment declined by 300 jobs from June to July primarily due to seasonal losses in government, which has shed 600 jobs.

Trade, transportation and warehousing added 300 jobs, bringing the employment level to 400 above July 2014. Goods-producing industries shed 100 jobs from June to July.

DeLayne Williamson, workforce business services director with the ICAD Group in Iowa City, said the Corridor's low unemployment rates have created some challenges for employers.

'We have a good mix of companies that are looking for a lot of different people and we just don't have enough,” Williamson said. 'We have some very sophisticated types of openings that take a long time to fill, regardless of where you are in the country.”

Williamson said employers need to be paying attention to employee retention.

'They need to make sure their employees are happy and not having to fill and refill positions on a regular basis,” Williamson said.