Whay are jobs so hard to find in Maine??? (Houlton: insurance, unemployment rate)

[WedOnSamhain]

I don't understand why jobs are so hard to find in Maine. I have been looking on online job sites and it looks as though there are many jobs to be had.

What type of jobs are people looking for? I am just curious. I have found numerous jobs in the field that I am in (warehouse work).

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by WedOnSamhain

I don't understand why jobs are so hard to find in Maine. I have been looking on online job sites and it looks as though there are many jobs to be had.

What type of jobs are people looking for? I am just curious. I have found numerous jobs in the field that I am in (warehouse work).

???

I am retired. I have had three jobs offered to me.

Finally tonight I accepted a job, just to get folks to stop offering me jobs, now I can say that I work part-time 'over there'.

[WedOnSamhain]

I know my spelling is not very good. It should have been WHY are jobs so hard to find in Maine??????

[forest beekeeper]

Unemployment rates [seasonally adjusted]

Nationwide: - - - - - Maine:
aug06 4.7 - - - - - - 4.7
sep06 4.6 - - - - - - 4.7
oct06 4.4 - - - - - - 4.7
nov06 4.5 - - - - - - 4.7
dec06 4.5 - - - - - - 4.7
jan07 4.6 - - - - - - 4.7

Yes, I see what you mean.

unemployment rate the Maine is severely high.

[forest beekeeper]

Right now Hawaii is looking good with 2.2%

But the following areas look much worse:
Pr 9.8
Mn 6.9
Ak 6.4
Ca 5.1



Since Maine is running right about in the middle of the pack, why does it seem to be worse?

[WedOnSamhain]

Wow thanks for all the research. I agree why does it seem that way??? Are people just looking for high profile jobs?

[patsfan]

Think one of the reasons it seems there are no jobs, is that Maine doesn't have the right jobs for the workforce. Most jobs are entry type, low skill, low pay service jobs, or bachelor degree or higher type jobs. The jobs that employed the average every man or woman have gone with the mills and shoe factories as well as many manufacturing jobs. These were all jobs where people without alot of eductaion could still make a good living. I don't see this changing. Not everyone is cut out for professional careers, but if you want to make a good living in Maine you need the right skills and a degree.
I see alot people in my area with neither which = lots of working poor.
So as to your original question, jobs aren't hard to find.. just good jobs for people with only a High School diploma.

[Acadianlion]

Originally Posted by patsfan

Think one of the reasons it seems there are no jobs, is that Maine doesn't have the right jobs for the workforce. Most jobs are entry type, low skill, low pay service jobs, or bachelor degree or higher type jobs. The jobs that employed the average every man or woman have gone with the mills and shoe factories as well as many manufacturing jobs. These were all jobs where people without alot of eductaion could still make a good living. I don't see this changing. Not everyone is cut out for professional careers, but if you want to make a good living in Maine you need the right skills and a degree.
I see alot people in my area with neither which = lots of working poor.
So as to your original question, jobs aren't hard to find.. just good jobs for people with only a High School diploma.

Absolutely correct.

When I first moved to Maine, I had two degrees but was unemployable. I had either too much education for the jobs available, or not enough specific education for some of the rather high paying jobs that were open. I ended up starting my own business using my seventh grade shop skills, and made more than a basic income. There was a LOT of work available, but instead of reporting to a plant or office, I had to go out and get the opportunity to work.

Today, as an employer in a natural resources based industry, we have an enormous amount of difficulty finding people who want to work and will show up on time, sober day in and day out. For many people "work" is a necessary evil and they do it during the summer when they can work "under the table" for a wage without any form of benefit at all. As an employer in a federally regulated industry, we have to provide safety gear, workers compensation insurance and specific training that puts us into a hole before a new employee can even think about making a contribution.

We are planning on a major expansion this year, but are limited by the availability of workers who will show up and work for more than a rack of beer and a pizza at the end of the week. We also have to fight the "employers" who will pay high seasonal wages "under the table", fooling the worker into thinking that he is actually making money. We are not able to do that, so even if our wage is competitive, the 7.8% worker's compensation premium makes us not.

Unfortunately, the "someones" who are making money here by providing jobs are not necessarily the ones doing the work.

[forest beekeeper]

Acadianlion-

"When I first moved to Maine, I had two degrees but was unemployable. I had either too much education for the jobs available, or not enough specific education for some of the rather high paying jobs that were open"

I have seen and heard of this problem my entire adult life, everywhere that I have lived.



".... I ended up starting my own business using my seventh grade shop skills, and made more than a basic income. There was a LOT of work available, but instead of reporting to a plant or office, I had to go out and get the opportunity to work."

Good for you.

Well done!



"Today, as an employer in a natural resources based industry, we have an enormous amount of difficulty finding people who want to work and will show up on time, sober day in and day out. For many people "work" is a necessary evil and they do it during the summer when they can work "under the table" for a wage without any form of benefit at all. As an employer in a federally regulated industry, we have to provide safety gear, workers compensation insurance and specific training that puts us into a hole before a new employee can even think about making a contribution."

So as an employer, you are seeing that often Mainers do not want a full-time career?

Actually that rather mirrors what I have seen.



"We are planning on a major expansion this year, but are limited by the availability of workers who will show up and work for more than a rack of beer and a pizza at the end of the week. We also have to fight the "employers" who will pay high seasonal wages "under the table", fooling the worker into thinking that he is actually making money. We are not able to do that, so even if our wage is competitive, the 7.8% worker's compensation premium makes us not."

Ouch.

Well said!

[rabbitlover]

Originally Posted by WedOnSamhain

I don't understand why jobs are so hard to find in Maine. I have been looking on online job sites and it looks as though there are many jobs to be had.

What type of jobs are people looking for? I am just curious. I have found numerous jobs in the field that I am in (warehouse work).

If you need help with finding a job in Maine, or need your skills updated you should look into your local adult education center or Maine Community College system.

The adult education center in Houlton, Maine has an excellent director and the staff are extremely encouraging.