KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Government statistics show that around 171,000 new jobs were added to the U.S. economy last month – but despite that, the unemployment rate actually rose from 7.8 percent in September to 7.9 percent in October.
In the Kansas City metro area, unemployment is much lower – 6.9 percent in Missouri and 5.9 percent in Kansas – and experts say that there are jobs out there if you have the training.
The numbers, however, do not include those whose benefits have run out and are considered “discouraged” workers because they have given up looking for work.
At an event on Friday for homeless veterans in the metro area, officials from the Missouri Career Center talked to veterans about career opportunities, and how to get the training and education needed for the jobs that are out there.
“After I get done talking to them, I give them some hope where they can actually (find employment),” said Rick Velasco of the Missouri Career Center.
The unemployment rate for veterans in 2011 routinely hit 11 percent, but is now down to 6.3 percent – the lowest in four years.
“Coming here opened some doors to get help in the right direction,” said Thomas Caffrey, who left the Army in 1990, and who had no problem finding work until the economy failed and he faced some medical problems. Now he is living at the City Union Mission. “I don’t have any drug or alcohol issues or anything like that. I was depressed because of medical and just struggling.”
Now Caffrey is going back to school and feeling like his life is getting back on track.
“I got a place to stay and re-group and rethink some things it’s been a fabulous restart,” said Caffrey.