New figures show unemployment numbers jumped in Vermilion County and rose in the Champaign-Urbana area, too, during January. The non-seasonally adjusted numbers from the Illinois Department of Employment Security show the jobless rate jumped nearly one-and-a-half percent in Vermilion County. January’s rate was 8.6 percent compared to 7.2 percent in December.
The jobless rate for the Champaign-Urbana-Rantoul area rose from 5.7 percent during December to 6.1. It had been 5.9 percent in January of 2016.
During January of this year the Illinois Department of Employment Security says there were an estimated 3,000 unemployed in the labor force in Vermilion County. The non-farm employment level fell by 200 in Vermilion County from where it stood in January of 2016. The new report shows Vermilion County gained 100 jobs in the Professional-Business Services category over the year. Other categories, though, showed job losses…including 100 fewer jobs in Construction, a loss of 100 jobs in Education-Health Services, and another 100 jobs that were lost in the Other Services category.
Although the unemployment numbers are up, jobs are plentiful across East Central Illinois according to the Conference Board. Area employers advertised for 4,300 positions in January and approximately 81-percent of those sought new full-time employees. And since some employers – such as construction – typically do not post advertised job openings, the actual need for new employees is even higher.
