Washington ESD structural unemployment - which type of unemployment is the one the fed & government officials seek to avoid?

That sounds exactly like what's happening to me. My manufacturing plant closed and most of the new jobs are in tech or healthcare. Is this why my job search has been so difficult?

Exactly. Manufacturing has been declining in many areas while service sectors grow. The good news is Washington ESD has retraining programs specifically for this situation.

OMG yes! I've wasted so many hours trying to reach someone at Washington ESD. It's like they don't want to help us transition to new careers.

I actually found a solution for this problem. There's a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents quickly. They have this video demo that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. I used it to finally speak with someone about retraining options.

Really? How does that work? I'm getting desperate here and need to know about WorkSource programs.

This is why they always talk about 'full employment' being around 4-5% unemployment - that remaining percentage is mostly structural and frictional unemployment that can't be eliminated.

So even in a perfect economy, there would still be people like me struggling to find work because our skills don't match what's needed?

Unfortunately yes, but that's why retraining programs exist. Washington ESD partners with community colleges to offer programs in growing fields.

That's not entirely true. My cousin went through a medical coding program through WorkSource and now makes $22/hour working from home.

Medical coding is saturated now too. Everyone's been told it's the 'next big thing' for the past 5 years.

The key is picking programs in genuinely growing fields, not just whatever sounds easy. Healthcare support, renewable energy, and certain tech fields are still expanding.

This is exactly why the government invests in job retraining programs and why Washington ESD tries to connect people with WorkSource services early in their unemployment.

I wish I had known about this sooner. I've been focusing on finding another manufacturing job instead of looking at retraining options.

There are three main types: Frictional (normal job searching), Cyclical (from economic downturns), and Structural (skills mismatch). Your situation might be different depending on why you're unemployed and what's available in your field.

I got laid off from retail management when my store closed. Most management jobs want experience with systems I've never used.

That sounds like structural unemployment too. Retail is changing rapidly with automation and online shopping.

Exactly. I have family ties here and can't relocate, but most of the jobs in my field have moved to other states with lower costs.

Same issue here. My kids are in school and my spouse has a job, so moving isn't really an option.

What field did you transition into? I'm trying to decide between healthcare and IT support.

I went into HVAC repair. It's not glamorous but there's consistent demand and decent pay. The program was 6 months and Washington ESD covered most of the costs.

How long did it take you to find work after finishing the program?

About 3 weeks. The program had job placement assistance and most graduates found work quickly.

This is keeping me up at night. I'm at 8 months unemployed and starting to feel like damaged goods.

Don't give up! Eight months isn't that long in today's job market, especially if you're dealing with industry changes.

Yes, approved training programs satisfy your job search requirements. You might even be eligible for extended benefits while in training.

Make sure to get approval BEFORE starting any program though. Washington ESD has specific procedures for this.

Thanks! I'll need to call Washington ESD to get this sorted out properly.

It's definitely legit. I was skeptical at first too, but it actually worked. Much better than spending hours on hold or getting disconnected. Check out their demo video - it explains exactly how they help you reach Washington ESD agents.

I tried it last month and got through to someone within 20 minutes. Finally got my training program approved and started this week.

This is why you see so much focus on STEM education and community college partnerships with employers. They're trying to prevent structural unemployment before it happens.

I wish someone had explained this to me when I first started working. I might have made different career choices knowing how industries can disappear.

Same here. Our town used to have three major employers and now it's mostly service jobs that pay half as much.

This is why some economists support programs that help with relocation costs, not just retraining.

How do they determine which category you're in? I never got asked about this when I filed my claim.

It's based on your work history, the reason for your unemployment, and what's happening in your industry. They look at labor market data to see if your field is growing or declining.

This thread has been really eye-opening. I think I need to stop looking for manufacturing jobs and start researching training programs.

Good decision. The manufacturing jobs that do exist now require completely different skills than they did 10 years ago anyway.