Unemployment affects Athens’s residents and students

By ANTIONETTE ROLLINS

Unemployment in Athens, Ga. is something that affects locals and students alike. Many people are forced to adjust their career goals to cope with the current economic situation.
Dr. Douglas Bachtel, housing and consumer economics professor at the University of Georgia, said that the effect of the current economy has been especially severe in Athens.

“The recession has had a more significant impact in Athens because of the city’s relatively high unemployment rate,” Bachtel said.

Estimates for the Bureau of Labor and Statistics show that Athens Clarke-County has had a steady increase in the unemployment rate since 1999, while national rates have slightly fluctuated through the years. As of July 2009, the unemployment rate in Athens was approximately 7.7 percent.

Athens locals aren’t the only ones affected by unemployment.

“Unemployment also takes its toll on University of Georgia students who are working their way through school,” Bachtel said. “Firms will let students go.” Without reliable income, students have a hard time funding their education.
Other students whose parents are suffering from unemployment have a more difficult time paying school tuition.

Many students are worried about finding employment after graduation. This number includes Jasmaine Williams, a senior majoring in biology and Spanish from Stockbridge, Ga.

“I would work for a couple of years if the economy was better,” Williams said. Instead, she plans to attend graduate school after she receives her bachelor’s degree in May. Despite these plans, she is still anxious about the future.

“It’s scary to think about going through a five year program and not getting a job with a Ph.D.,” she said.

Attending graduate school is an option that many Athens’ students choose instead of pursuing a career with present unemployment rates.

“I’m not really concerned about unemployment because I’m not worried about a career at this point in time,” said Samantha Gabai, a senior from Sandy Springs, Ga. Like Williams, she plans to attend graduate school next fall.

Even with constant reminders about the rising rate of unemployment, there are still opportunities.

“Be persistent,” said Lori Chafin, the unit supervisor for the Georgia Department of Labor Athens Career Center. “Don’t give into those around you saying ‘the economy is bad, you’re never going to find a job, because that’s simply not true.”

For those actively seeking employment, the Athens Career Center can be of great assistance. Chafin advised job seekers to use the Center’s available resources.

“There are so many resources here like internet, fax machines and resume critique workshops,” Chafin said. “The main focus is helping job seekers to increase their marketing skills, to be creative in their approach to job seeking and tap into all of the resources that are available to secure employment.”

Athens area job seekers who would like help finding employment can visit the Georgia Department of Labor at www.dol.state.ga.us.

Edited by Robert Carnes