Brockton adds jobs, but workers still wait
The Enterprise, a daily newspaper covering the greater Brockton region, quoted Kim McLaughlin, the director of CareerWorks, a job training center in Brockton that is a division of the UMass Donahue Institute, in an article on the continuing struggle to create jobs in Brockton.
The article looks at unemployment in Brockton through the perspective of jobseekers, the mayor and McLaughlin. While unemployment in the city has decreased to 8.9 percent from the 10.7 percent rate recorded in December 2010, long lines at the unemployment office are still a daily sight, and jobseekers worry about benefits expiring. Brockton’s recently re-elected Mayor, Linda Balzotti faces the challenge of stabilizing the city’s finances and reducing a nearly $700 million debt, in hopes of creating the type of sound fiscal environment that attracts businesses. Jobs are expected to be the key issue of the 2012 Massachusetts Senate race, as well as the Presidential election.
McLaughlin, who works on job development and placement, has seen evidence of improvement. We’re definitely seeing more job openings,” she said. “We work with employers, and more are hiring.”
Read article: Unemployment down, but lines still long at Brockton jobs center
January 29, 2012
