Ritter urges unemployed to use workforce centers

The headlines on the economy seem to grow more grim by the day, but job hunters on the prowl for "Keep Colorado Working Day" on Thursday at the Pikes Peak Workforce Center tried to keep a positive attitude.

Bill Lutchey was looking for a position in institutional housekeeping and said he got some leads from The Broadmoor and Penrose-St. Francis Health Services.

"The market is tough," he said. "It's like anything else - you won't know if you don't try."

Melonie Coulman said she has been out of work for four months. She's looking for something as a secretary or administrative assistant.

"I had someone look at my resume today and give me some tips on really getting my foot in the door," she said. "Yes, it's very tough."

There were plenty of employers at the job fair, one of about a dozen events held around the state Thursday as part of Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter's push to make more people aware of the state's workforce centers. The Pikes Peak Workforce Center, at 2306 E. Pikes Peak Ave., has seen a surge in business as more job-seekers use its computers, training classes and referral services, said Jeanne Cotter, the center's spokeswoman. El Paso and Teller counties have seen the unemployment rate climb from 4.5 percent in September 2007 to 6.1 percent in September this year, according to Colorado Department of Labor and Employment statistics.

"I don't want to paint a gloomy picture, but we may be busier in the future," Cotter said. "I think the governor wants people to know we're here to help them."

Several hundred job-seekers crowded into meeting rooms at the workforce center, undeterred by the cold weather outside. And employers were hiring. Progressive Insurance had a long list of positions that will be coming open at its service center in Colorado Springs. Aflac Insurance regional sales coordinator Mathew Gahm was at the fair looking for business sales consultants and said he'd spoken with about 30 potential recruits.

"We've had a pretty good response so far," he said.

For Kevin Parks, Western region recruiter for Swift Transportation, finding qualified truck drivers used to be a constant challenge. Now, he said, he's swamped with applications, but there are still plenty of good jobs in the field.

"We've been able to sustain (employment) through every single recession we've been through," he said. "A CDL license (commercial drivers license) is recession-proof. I can go anywhere in the country and start tomorrow."

Still, with big local employers such as Focus on the Family announcing layoffs recently, this is not a fun time to be out of work in the Springs.

Scott Garrigan said he was looking for any job he could find to help pay the bills.
"The average person," he said, "it seems like there's not a chance because the competition is too tough right now."
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