Latest Unemployment Numbers Released
Santa Barbara County’s unemployment rate in June (5.4 percent) jumped slightly from May (5 percent) but showed a positive trend from June 2013 (6.8 percent), according to the county’s Workforce Investment Board. The jobless numbers put the county in a better position than the state (7.3 percent) and the country (6.3 percent), bringing the county’s total workforce to 212,200 people. The report showed growth in many fields — particularly in government, trade, personal-care aides, and veterinary technicians — but some losses in construction, manufacturing, and hospitality. The cities of Lompoc, Guadalupe, and Santa Maria continue to suffer unemployment rates in the double digits.
