Osceola County jobless rate drops

Osceola County’s jobless rate fell a full percentage point in February to 11.9 percent, according to the latest report released Friday by the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation.

The county unemployment rate for February (not seasonally adjusted) was 11.9 percent compared to January’s 12.9 percent, representing 16,718 unemployed workers out of a labor force of 140,993.

Florida’s unemployment rate in February (not seasonally adjusted) was 11 percent, down 0.8 percentage point from January’s 11.8 percent. The new state unemployment rate represents 1,068,000 jobless out of a labor force of 9,265,000.

Nationally, the unemployment rate in February (not seasonally adjusted) was 9.5 percent, compared to 9.8 percent in January.

The jobless rate for the Orlando metropolitan area, which includes Lake, Osceola, Orange and Seminole counties, was down a full percentage point as well, dropping to 10.8 percent in February compared to January’s 11.8 percent. This represents 121,152 jobless out of a labor force of 1,120,020.

According to Workforce Innovation, the Orlando metropolitan area added 11,400 jobs in February and 22,900 jobs during the prior year.

Orange County’s jobless rate fell a full percentage point as well, going from 11.7 percent in January to 10.7 percent in February. Polk County’s jobless rate fell even more, going from 12.8 percent in January to 11.7 percent in February.

“This decrease in Florida’s unemployment rate, combined with continued job growth, is welcome news and provides additional evidence that our economy is getting back on track,” Agency for Workforce Innovation Director Cynthia R. Lorenzo said. “We will continue our commitment to ensuring Florida’s workforce system meets the dynamic needs of our existing and future employers so that we can build on this momentum.”

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey for the second quarter of 2011 indicates Florida employers expect to hire at a steady pace in the months ahead. Of employers surveyed, 14 percent plan to hire more workers between April and June, while 76 percent plan to maintain their current staff levels, a slight improvement over the survey results for the first quarter of the year.

In February, Monroe County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate (6.9 percent), followed by Liberty County (7.1 percent); Alachua County (7.7 percent); Leon and Wakulla counties (7.9 percent each); and Okaloosa County (8.1 percent).

Flagler County had the highest unemployment rate (14.9 percent) in Florida in February, followed by Hernando County (13.9 percent); Hendry County (13.4 percent); Marion County (13.2 percent); and St. Lucie County (13.0 percent). Flagler County, as well as most of the other areas with the highest unemployment rates, continues to suffer long-term job losses, mainly in construction. There are 43 Florida counties with double-digit unemployment rates in February, down from 52 in January.

Lane closures set for U.S. Highway 192

The Florida Department of Transportation has announced the dates for planned bridge work on State Road 417 (Florida’s Turnpike) in Osceola County.

The work will affect motorists using U.S. Highway 192 west of Kissimmee. Crews are painting and cleaning the turnpike bridge. Overnight lane closures are planned for tonight through Sunday, April 24.

Closure details include: single-lane closures, both eastbound and westbound, from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.; and double-lane closures, if necessary, eastbound and westbound, midnight until 5 a.m.

Free seminar on workplace violence

Workforce Central Florida University, a service from Workforce Central Florida, at 7:45 a.m. on Wednesday, April 20, will host a free seminar on preventing and responding to workplace violence.

The April workshop is presented by Jackson Lewis.

Violence in the workplace presents many unique challenges to employers. This session, presented by Jackson Lewis LLP, will address the high cost of workplace violence, with a discussion of common warning signs, triggering events, “best” preventative and reactionary practices, an overview of employer and individual liability and steps every employer should consider to minimize the risk of violence in the workplace.

The seminar will be at the agency’s Administrative Office, 707 Mendham Blvd., Suite 250, Orlando.

Presenter Keith Hammond is a partner in the Orlando office of Jackson Lewis.

Seating for the seminar is limited and advance registration is required. To register, call 407-531-1222 or visit www.WorkforceCentralFlorida.com.

Job seeker workshops in April

Workforce Central Florida in April will offer a number of free job skills workshops that will help job seekers find, prepare and land their next job.

The workshops include:

• Résumé writing. This workshop will identify the four major types of résumés; discuss the components of résumés; provide tips and techniques for writing a cover letter; identify skills needed for the desired position; and discuss the most effective methods of conveying job-related and transferable skills.

Dates, times and locations for this workshop are: Friday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., JobVantage, 4360 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando; and Monday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., JobVantage, 1563 Florida Mall Ave., Orlando.

• Career Pursuit. Discover strategies for an effective job search using a variety of traditional and nontraditional methods and how to create a cyber-safe résumé. Discuss why a positive attitude is the one critical element for job search success in a tough economy. Learn strategies for organizing and planning a job search, finding jobs using the hidden job market, tips on how to access these unadvertised opportunities and developing strategies to overcome barriers.

Dates and locations for the career pursuit workshop are: Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Workforce Central Florida, 1392 E. Vine St., Kissimmee; April 14, JobVantage, 4360 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando; and April 18, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., JobVantage, 1563 Florida Mall Ave., Orlando.

• Planning and preparing for the interview. Identify techniques for creating positive first impressions during the interview process. Review commonly asked interview questions, discuss answers to difficult interview questions, have the opportunity to participate in mock interviews and learn the best ways to follow up with employer after the interview.

Dates and locations are: April 15, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., JobVantage, 4360 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando; April 19, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Workforce Central Florida, 1392 E. Vine St., Kissimmee.

• Job seeker services overview. Discover the services available to assist you with your job search and prepare you to land the job you are seeking. Find information on additional resources you can take advantage of including essential tools needed to find a job in today’s market, information on community resources, details on upcoming special events and programs to assist you in overcoming employment hurdles you may face. The date for this workshop will be April 21, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., JobVantage, 4360 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando.

To register for these workshops, email supercharge@wcfla.com.