Workforce Development.
That’s the WD in the acronym DWD.
More abysmal numbers from the DWD.
Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman announced today that Wisconsin’s unemployment rate for December was 8.3 percent, up 0.4 percentage points from November’s final rate.
The national rate for December was 9.7 percent, up from 9.4 percent in November. The Wisconsin rate is 2.5 percentage points higher than one year ago, when the rate was 5.8 percent.
and
From November to December, total Wisconsin non-farm jobs decreased by an estimated 30,800 to 2,722,800. Goods Producers lost 16,400 jobs, while Service Producers decreased by 14,400 jobs over the month. Among Goods Producers, Construction jobs decreased by 14,300, and Manufacturing jobs, by 1,700. Job losses among Service Producers were led by Government, down 7,300, and Professional and Business Services, down 5,200. Over the last 12 months, the data showed a decline of 120,700 Wisconsin non-farm jobs.
Goods Producers were down 56,200, mostly in Manufacturing, which was down 42,700. Service sector jobs declined 64,500 over the year, led by Professional & Business Services, which lost 16,800 jobs.
The December survey of Wisconsin households showed 35,600 fewer employed than in November, and 137,300 fewer employed than one year ago. Wisconsin’s civilian labor force was down 23,300 to 3,013,700 in December and down 66,400 from December 2008.
Adjusted DataThe seasonally adjusted Wisconsin unemployment rate for December 2009 was 8.7 percent, up 0.5 percentage points from November rate of 8.2 percent. The December 2008 rate was 5.9 percent. The national seasonally adjusted December 2009 rate was 10.0 percent, unchanged from November.
So, back to WD…
What is Wisconsin’s grand plan for Workforce Development?
Well, the Governor now wants us to raise the costs of producing and using energy so we can create a few potential green jobs while further jeopardizing the few real manufacturing jobs we have left.