Why is aerospace engineering unemployment so high - Washington ESD claim approved after 6 weeks

aerospace has been hit hard lately, especially here in WA. Defense contracts drying up and commercial aviation still recovering. took me 4 months to find something after my layoff last year

The aerospace industry is cyclical but this downturn feels different. Between supply chain issues, reduced defense spending, and companies over-hiring during COVID, we're seeing a perfect storm. Washington ESD data shows engineering unemployment has tripled since 2022.

I've been calling Washington ESD for weeks trying to get my claim status updated and can never get through. Finally found this service called Claimyr that actually got me connected to an agent in like 10 minutes. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me hours of frustration.

The whole system is rigged against skilled workers. They expect us to apply for minimum wage jobs just to meet the job search requirements. It's insulting.

Same boat here - laid off from Northrop in January. The competition is fierce, seeing 400+ applicants for every engineering position. My UI benefits are keeping me afloat but barely covering my mortgage.

For context on the aerospace engineering unemployment issue: Major factors include defense budget cuts, commercial aviation slowdown, and consolidation in the industry. Boeing alone has cut over 20,000 jobs since 2020. The high unemployment isn't unique to Washington - it's nationwide but particularly severe here given our concentration of aerospace employers.

this is why I tell young people to avoid engineering. oversaturated field and no job security anymore

Been out of work for 8 months now, maxed out my regular UI benefits and having to look into extended benefits. The Washington ESD system is so confusing - does anyone know if there are still pandemic-era extensions available?

Update on that Claimyr service I mentioned - used it again yesterday to check on my job search requirement questions. Still works great for actually reaching Washington ESD agents when you need real answers.

The networking events are brutal too. Everyone's desperate and it shows. Hard to make connections when everyone's competing for the same limited positions.

Anyone else dealing with Washington ESD asking for additional documentation? They wanted 3 years of work history even though I only worked at Boeing for 2 years.

The mental health aspect is real too. Went from a $95k salary to $844 weekly UI benefits. The pay cut is devastating but the loss of identity hits harder.

My husband's been out of aerospace work for 6 months now. The job search requirements are killing him - he's overqualified for most positions but can't find anything in his field. Washington ESD doesn't seem to understand the professional job market.

The worst part is watching less qualified people get hired because they're cheaper. Companies are using this downturn to lower salary expectations across the board.

Has anyone successfully transitioned to a different engineering field? Thinking about trying software or renewable energy.

The age discrimination is real too. I'm 52 and seeing younger engineers get interviews while I can't even get callbacks. Washington ESD benefits won't last forever and I'm starting to panic.

My UI claim got flagged for 'able and available' review because I mentioned in my job search log that I was being picky about positions. Had to explain that I was still looking for suitable work.

The unemployment rate statistics don't tell the whole story either. Lots of engineers have stopped looking or took underemployment that doesn't show up in the numbers.

Anyone else having issues with Washington ESD's website? I keep getting error messages when trying to file my weekly claim.

The irony is that we're the ones who built the technology that's now replacing us. Automation in aerospace is eliminating the very jobs we created.

This hits so close to home. I'm also an aerospace engineer dealing with Washington ESD after getting laid off from a defense contractor in March. The whole "suitable work" conversation is frustrating - they want us to cast a wide net but don't understand that applying for $15/hour technician jobs when you have a specialized engineering degree isn't realistic. The mental toll of going from designing aircraft systems to filing unemployment claims is something I wasn't prepared for. At least the $844 weekly benefit helps, but like you said, it's not sustainable long-term. Have you considered looking into federal contracting positions? I've heard there might be some opportunities opening up with the infrastructure bill, though the competition is still brutal.