Employment Department plans for ‘improving economy’

As signs of recovery emerge, state wants employers to use job-posting databank

By Darryl Swan

The South County Spotlight, May 12, 2010, Updated May 12, 2010 (1 Reader comment)

Darryl Swan / The South County Spotlight

JOBS SEEKER — Kathy Copeland has been hired by the Oregon Employment Department on a six-month contract to connect with employers and make them aware of OED services as the economy recovers.

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The Oregon Employment Department has hired one person for each county across the state to position the agency over the next six months with employers who are expected to post jobs as the economy recovers.

In Columbia County, that person is Kathy Copeland. Copeland, a former human resources manager who has worked in an array of industries, started April 12 under a six-month contract to bring the St. Helens-based employment department office up to speed with local employers who might be thinking about new hires.

“There’s a real potential for the Oregon Employment Department to prepare employees for what we hope is an improving economy,” Copeland said. Signs of the recovery, she said, include an uptick in the number of employers who have contacted temp agencies with job postings, Copeland said.

Currently, the employment department’s databank of jobseekers numbers 275,000 across the state, and is 4,000 strong in Columbia County.

That, compared against only 50 or 60 job openings posted by Columbia County employers, is a disparity the department wants to turn around. On Monday, for instance, there were only 51 Columbia County-based jobs posted in the iMatchSkills database, two of which were for a limited duration. That’s one job available for every 78 applicants.

Somewhat surprisingly, however, local job opportunities don’t always result in a large outpouring of applicants. A recent job recruitment event for a local credit union drew only 60 jobseekers, Copeland said.

Only businesses actively hiring for open positions are listed in the state databank. And with unemployment in Columbia County holding at 12.1 percent in March, Copeland’s efforts are unlikely to result in an immediate push from employers to post jobs that don’t exist.

Still, in her short time stationed at the St. Helens office, Copeland said outreach to local employers has shown a surprising number that are hiring, but are using recruitment tools other than the OED’s offerings.

James Penley, supervisor for the St. Helens ODE office, said employers and jobseekers need to use all of the tools at their disposal toward posting and finding jobs, including using the employment department’s iMatchSkills and other online and traditional outlets, such as Craigslist and newspaper classifieds.

“I think it’s all of the above,” Penley said. “I think people are using a blended approach.”

Penley said another purpose of Copeland’s employment is to train the St. Helens OED staff with employer outreach skills they can carry into the future.

Copeland and Penley said there are strong incentives to use the services. For one, a portion of state taxes finances employment department job postings, so there’s no immediate expense to the employer.

“If businesses are already paying their employer taxes, why not take advantage of this and put it to work for you?” Copeland said.

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