EP Bucks National Trend, Experiences Small Job Growth In 2008
By ABC-7 Reporter Veronique Masterson
EL PASO — New numbers show 500,000 workers in the U.S. lost their jobs during December of last year. Department of Labor officials say more than 2.6 million jobs were lost in all of 2008.
Thenationwide unemployment rate now stands at7.2 percent and El Paso’s rate is at6.7 percent. Still, officials with Workforce Solutions Upper Rio Grande told ABC-7 the SunCity isactually gaining more jobs than it is losing.
Despite the nation’s economic turmoil, El Paso gained 1,500 new jobs in 2008, officials said, adding 400 of those jobs were gained in November and December. The job growth was attributed to an increase of soldiers at Fort bliss, a growing medical sector and a population boom.
“Those events increase the number of dollars that are spent in the economy and help create new jobs,” said David Coronado, a labor market analyst.
Coronado said job losses and gains also depend on the industry and education. “The people that have high school degrees may be experiencing double digit unemployment rates, whereas someone with a bachelor’s degree may be experiencing a threepercent unemployment rate.”
“Ibelieve El Paso is still above water with the jobs because of the education and resources here,” said Timmisha Ortiz, who is working on getting her degree.
The figures may paint an optimistic protrait locally, but not all El Pasoans were able to avoid thenation’s economic turmoil. “It’s kind of hard, the economy,” said Jesse Guevara, who recently lost his job.
After 23 years of trucking, the brakeshave temporarily been put on Guevara’s life. ‘It got to the point where wewere going to loose the house, but by the grace of God, we came through,” he said.
