By JAYCIE DOERR, NEWS3 Reporter
MACOMB, Illinois (NEWS3) – Right now, there are almost 4 million Americans that have been out of work for six or more months.
Macomb Mayor Micheal Inman spoke about how this unemployment surge is affecting Macomb. He discussed how the city’s unemployment rate compares to national averages.
“At the same time, we have challenges finding folks jobs, who are actively looking for jobs,” Inman said.
Inman also said that even with the low unemployment percentage, there are countless positions that need to be filled in many different industries.
“[We have] a tremendous amount of vacancies in the job market…we’re needing job seekers to fill those vacancies,” he said.
He spoke specifically about the Macomb manufacturing industry and how they are struggling to find workers.
“Altogether there’s about 250, maybe closer to even 300 jobs available in our manufacturing community that we’re struggling to fill,” he said.
Inman said some people are possibly leaving their jobs to pursue higher education. He also said that the pandemic has people looking at their wants and needs to work.
Overall, he said Macomb’s unemployment rate is not due to a lack of population, housing, or opportunities.
“It’s not a lack of opportunity,” he said. “We have jobs available here, we have housing that’s available here, and we have a great asset here in the community with an institutional higher education that ultimately adds a whole new dynamic to our community that we wouldn’t have.”
