
Imperial County still has one of the highest rates at 23%. The new Workforce Development director is hoping to change that.
Miguel Figueroa has a tough task ahead of him as the new director of the Workforce Development in Imperial County.
He’s planning on providing more service for businesses and the unemployed.
“Yes indeed we have challenges ahead of us but I believe that with our local partners our economic development agencies we can do a lot. We are not focused things that have happened but we are looking toward the future,” Workforce Development Director Miguel Figueroa said.
Laura Andrade who has recently moved to the Imperial Valley is one of the many looking for work.
“It’s a little bit harder to find a job here and especially and the salary the you’re used to,” Laura Andrade said.
And the difficulty of getting a job is exactly what Figueroa wants to change.
He wants to work with businesses to find out what they’re needs in maintaining employees and hiring them as well.
“We believe is going to be driving our business services, customized training what I mean by that is know the specie needs of employers and make sure that we provide a training funds to address those needs,” Figueroa said.
National Beef laid off 3000 earlier this year and then a few months later the detention center let go 500.
“We believe that based on some of the things that we’re starting to do it can begin to work at and target so we can over time begin to decrease,” Figueroa said.
Former Beef Plant employees are getting placed in jobs and they continue their training.