The Job Outlook of South Central Kentucky

I live in a small town near Edmonton. Edmonton is in Kentucky and is the county seat of Metcalf County. Edmonton itself isn't much, and there are no jobs here or nearby here.

I lost my job at the end of July, 2006. I worked in a plant in nearby Summer Shade as a temp for $7.50 an hour. I've only ever had temp jobs and have a G.E.D due to home school.

When I received my G.E.D., I was told that it was accepted just like a regular high school diploma is, but it's not. Around here, all of the employers look down on you for having a G.E.D.-even though most people here either have a G.E.D. or no form of diploma at all! But employers, even those at fast food places and the grocery stores prefer to hire someone with a regular diploma. If they can't hire someone who actually went through public school, then they hire a kid who's still in school. Most of the kids they hire won't do the work required and are rude to the customers.

If employers aren't looking for warm bodies or the best help, they are looking for friends and family. This is the most common practice in Edmonton and the surrounding areas. Many jobs come open, but but no one is told about the job until someone is already hired. The new hire is usually the child or grandchild of someone who is a higher-up in the chain of command. This makes many people-including myself- angry. Most of these people who are handed jobs won't do their jobs and treat work as a time for discussion and fun.

The factories in town and in nearby Glasgow and Tompkinsville are closing one by one. Most of the factories make car parts: fuse boxes, brakes, doors, etc. and the whole auto industry has been hit very hard due to the cost of fuel.

But many of the factories closing here aren't just closing their doors, they are just moving out of town to other areas. I have a theory on why this is happening. Most of the factories owners and higher-ups like to party. Edmonton is in a rural area and is a dry county-which means no clubs to party in. The nearest area to party in is Bowling Green-an hour and a half drive from here. This theory is supported by the fact that a nearby county recently began allowing liquor to be sold in their county, and many factories have just began to crop up there.

Fuel prices are making it harder and harder to find a job. A person can't afford to drive around looking for one. Also, to be able to afford to take the job and not work to feed your car only, you have to have at least 3 people working at one place who live nearby each other and share the fuel expenses.

I especially have a hard time finding a job because I can't drive. Even though I can get back and forth to work reliably every day (and I once lived right next to one of these places), employers still won't hire me because I can't drive.

I would not recommend anyone to come to this area looking for a job. Unless you are a doctor or a full-time writer. The job market is bad and getting worse.