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The Washington DC board is full of posts complaining about who massive federal spending is insulating the area from the effects of the economic recession. The posts give the impression that everyone is working and life is great for everyone in town. PLEASE TELL THAT TO THE MANY PEOPLE I KNOW WHO ARE NOT WORKING!
Actually regardless of the hype there is massive unemployment in the District of Columbia. The official unemployment rate 11.1% Which is one of the highest rates in the country.
While the rate is lower in Arlington and Fairfax County across the river, their rates is typical to the demographics of the area which has a large number of college educated workers.
I know many unemployed professionals and tradespeople who are facing long term unemployment in the DC area. This area is far from recession proof!
Um, last time I checked we are still part of the US meaning we will have similar effects that everyone else nationwide will endure.
The economy is still weak wherever you go and of course there will be obstacles that many will have to face. DC (to me) is no different than any other major city in the US in terms of who is suffering from the weak economy. The people that flock to DC don't move to DC without having a secure job. Of course people will say the jobs are in DC or within the surrounding area. But what kind of jobs? A lot of specialized areas like IT, healthcare, research etc.
It's not an easy time but the 11.1% unemployment rate doesn't surprise me as compared to say 12% unemployment rate in Baltimore. I like DC for a lot of reasons, but of course we are no different but are better off than other cities who have it worse.
I wonder if its skewed heavily by one demographic group - e.g. high school grads are at 20% and college grads are at 2%... that kind of thing. Or if its particular sectors or certain job functions.
I wonder if its skewed heavily by one demographic group - e.g. high school grads are at 20% and college grads are at 2%... that kind of thing. Or if its particular sectors or certain job functions.
OF COURSE it's skewed by a large population of people with low educational levels. It's yet another example of not playing one's cards right.
What were these people doing in school? Are we to apologize for their failures too?
OF COURSE it's skewed by a large population of people with low educational levels. It's yet another example of not playing one's cards right.
What were these people doing in school? Are we to apologize for their failures too?
I wasnt making any form of social commentary - nor am I interested in doing so (even if I was, I'm not sure what you are trying to say). My interest was purely a curious data question. In particular, I'd have hypothesized pretty much what you said: unemployment is inversely correlated with education; but that then begs how to explain such high unemployment in DC, when its so heavy skewed professional/high educated (wasn't it named greatest % of people with a bachelors or masters in the US a few months ago or something) and other large cities without similar skew see equivalent or better unemployment. There are a number of other curious potential factors I would wonder about, but I digress.
I wasnt making any form of social commentary - nor am I interested in doing so (even if I was, I'm not sure what you are trying to say). My interest was purely a curious data question. In particular, I'd have hypothesized pretty much what you said: unemployment is inversely correlated with education; but that then begs how to explain such high unemployment in DC, when its so heavy skewed professional/high educated (wasn't it named greatest % of people with a bachelors or masters in the US a few months ago or something) and other large cities without similar skew see equivalent or better unemployment. There are a number of other curious potential factors I would wonder about, but I digress.
Yes, there are a lot of overeducated people here, but there are also a lot of undereducated people. This is one of the most basic facts about DC demographics.
OF COURSE it's skewed by a large population of people with low educational levels. It's yet another example of not playing one's cards right.
What were these people doing in school? Are we to apologize for their failures too?
Come on. It's absurd to place the blame on not playing one's cards right. A lot of kids raised in DC were dealt a crappy hand, having to work multiple jobs, take care of siblings, try to function in schools with minimal resources amidst an environment full of poverty, drugs, violence, and apathy. Very few, if any, of these Brown graduates flitting off to Local 16 for happy hour would have come out any better if they were raised in that situation.
The unemployment rate for the overall region is quite low and for college grads it's exceedingly low. It gets up to 20% in areas east of the river and places in PG County.
Yes, and they're all Black individuals without college degrees; some with some college but never completed degrees. I don't know whether there's "something wrong" with them or not other than they're being slighted over for higher educated individuals unfortunately (many of whom are not even long-time DC residents like these people).
There has to be something wrong with anyone unemployed in DC.
In any industry? And, by something wrong, do you mean other than being undereducated? DCPS spent generations spitting out undereducated kids (I am not saying that all DCPS students were undereducated, but many were and still are). What do you think would be the result of that, especially when the economy takes a turn for the worse? This problem is larger than the individual.
In any industry? And, by something wrong, do you mean other than being undereducated? DCPS spent generations spitting out undereducated kids (I am not saying that DCPS students were undereducated, but many were and still are). What do you think would be the result of that, especially when the economy takes a turn for the worse? This problem is larger than the individual.
This is absolutely true. I know DCPS graduates who can't type, can't communicate properly, can't even write up a resume or use the internet, and read and write like first graders. Huge systemic problem of under-education in this city and unfortunately, much of it falls in the poor Black areas.
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