Job Market in Cookeville? (buy, construction, schools) - City-Data Forum

cmor · 03-28-2009, 06:55 PM

We love Cookeville and looking to relocate and be close to family there. However, my husband or I can't seem to find anything! He's in museum /science center education (10 years) and I'm a civil engineer with 2 yrs experience (structural or transportation). Tenn DOT hasn't been accepting apps and looks like the schools aren't either. Any ideas? Know anyone who might be hiring an engineer or a teacher?? We're both willing to do something new.. but 'no experience required' salaried jobs seem equally hard to find! HELP!

missinggreen · 03-28-2009, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmor

We love Cookeville and looking to relocate and be close to family there. However, my husband or I can't seem to find anything! He's in museum /science center education (10 years) and I'm a civil engineer with 2 yrs experience (structural or transportation). Tenn DOT hasn't been accepting apps and looks like the schools aren't either. Any ideas? Know anyone who might be hiring an engineer or a teacher?? We're both willing to do something new.. but 'no experience required' salaried jobs seem equally hard to find! HELP!

Jobs are very hard to come by in Cookeville right now. According to statistics, more than 1/10 are unemployed. I work for the school system, and they have had/plan more layoffs.

Psychop1 · 03-28-2009, 08:17 PM

Middle Tennessee's population is increasing steadily right now due to so many relocating here, and that coupled with a struggling economy makes for an interesting job market. I would make sure to have a job lined up before moving. You'll probably have to practice some patience. If you don't mind commuting, Nashville is about an hour drive from Cookeville, and there may be more demand for your husband's and your expertises.

cmor · 03-30-2009, 06:11 PM

Thanks, that is what I hear. I was let go in October.. so I've been looking for work for 7 months. It's getting to the point where I need to take something even if it's not in Cookeville or close by. I'll keep looking at Nashville. We were just hoping to turn the lemons into lemonade and make the move up there with the new job. We're in Tampa now.. Tampa just hit double digit unemployment too. Infact, unemployment specifically in the construction industry it's 20.3%! People are flocking from Tampa left and right.

Wordy · 03-30-2009, 08:14 PM

Teaching--not too likely for a while yet unless there's a special ed, ESL or some such HQ designation. Even then, probably not in Putnam County. Engineering, I'm just not sure about. But if you are willing to drive and are set on Cookeville as your town, at least you have Nashville. Have him get a TN teaching certificate if he hasn't already. With a FL teaching certificate, it should just be an application and $50 and he will receive one in the mail unless things have changed in the last several years (and they very well may have). Can you try to plan to live as frugally as possible (and do you have a $$ cushion to fall back on)? I hope this works out the way you want it to! I know it is so hard to just move somewhere without a job lined up, and right now it seems an especially risky prospect!

jguillot · 03-31-2009, 08:03 AM

A voluntary buyout plan at Tennessee Tech that could eliminate as many as 40 jobs has been approved by the Tennessee Board of Regents. See the story by clicking on the link below.

Herald-Citizen Online Edition - Cookeville, TN

cmor · 04-13-2009, 10:58 AM

Thanks Wordy, yeah, Tim started out as special ed burned out and turned to museum work. If that's whats available, he may be able to do that again. He hasn't taught in a few years, so I'm not sure if his certificate expires or what??

And thanks jguillot too - my backup was getting part time work at Tenn Tech at the College of Engineering. Infact, my brother-in-law works there, he's just an adjunct so I don't think the buy out will effect him much. O dear. His basement is our "cushion", but yeah, we have about 3 months before we're leaning on family.