1 in 10 Hoosiers Unemployed

Indiana's unemployment is reaching record levels. The unemployment for January stands at nearly 9.2%, higher than the national rate, state officials said Friday. Not since 1941 was the state in such dire need of jobs. Industrial and retail jobs are leaving the state in break-neck speed, with nothing coming in to replace them. Unemployment and the Recession have griped the entire country, but the Midwest seems to be suffering the bulk of it. Indiana is one of the top 5 states in the worst condition.

Even teen-agers and college graduates are finding it difficult to find work. Many are just leaving the state for better chances of jobs. And the reality is, it will only get worse before it gets better.
Indiana sees thousands being tossed out of work every month, and the lines get longer each time at the unemployment offices around the state.

The automotive and RV industries have taken a heavy hit in the state due to declining sales since the recession began. Elkhart County, in Northern Indiana was the heart of the RV industry is practically gone now. There are only maybe 1 or 2 small RV factories left in the area, but even they are showing signs of lack of full-time jobs, where there were once 2 or 3 huge RV factories going full speed ahead.

Indiana was one of the heavily industrialized states in the Midwest, with over 100 automotive factories, auto suppliers through out the state. The decline of Detroit has caused a ripple effect in almost every employment area, from the auto industry, to its suppliers, to the retail. No job, no way to buy needed things for the house, personal, or food.

Elkhart County leads the state with 18.3% in jobless rate, with LaGrange and Noble Counties closing in. Marshall and Lawrence Counties bring up the rear in the range of 14.0 to 14.7%., in a list of the top 10 counties in the state.

Spring and summer are just around the corner, and no doubt, people will be leaving for jobs elsewhere, if they find them. Even if the relief efforts work, the national predictions are the unemployment rate will keep climbing through this year. The Fed's think the jobless rate will stay high though 2010, and not level out to near normal, which is around 5.0% jobless, until 2013.

The only jobs that are not loosing are in the Health Care, Education and Government jobs. But they are not gaining a wide percentage either. They are just staying even.

Sources:

Indianapolis Star Newspaper
Indianapolis Newspaper