Bright Spots in Tough Times

The first episode of KCTS 9’s three part special report, Tough Times: Rising Above the Financial Crisis, aired this week. The series comes at a difficult stage for Washington state and the nation. Over 303,750 Washingtonians are currently looking for work -- the highest ever amount for the state. Furthermore, another 651,000 jobs were lost nationally in February, pushing the national unemployment rate to 8.1%.

Yet there were several moments during Tough Times’ first segment, on unemployment, when a glimmer of a silver lining appeared even in the cloudy economic forecast.

Like breaking the news about new scholarship programs at City University of Seattle for displaced workers and community college transfer students. City U President Lee Gorsuch used the program to announce $2,500 scholarships for unemployed workers to go back to school, and $10,000 scholarship for community college students to transfer to City U.

Or finding out that the Employment Security Department has doubled the number of phone operators taking unemployment insurance claims – so workers who have been laid off don’t have to wait so long to get through on the phone to file for unemployment benefits, or find out the status of their claims.

Or hearing from the state’s Chief Economist, Arun Raha, that the worst is probably over when it comes to layoffs in Washington state. While we had rapid job loss in December and January, Raha says we’ll lose jobs a slower rate between now and November, and will actually see a growth in new jobs next year.

Or hearing from regional labor economist, Desiree Phair, that seniors who want to go back to work face a pretty optimistic picture, since companies that are hiring right now are looking for people who already have experience, and don’t need significant training.

Or hearing from Waldron & Co. CEO, Mike Humphreys, that now is the best time for displaced workers to think about what they really want to do with their lives, and go for it. Turn job loss into an opportunity to chart a new career in a field you’ve always dream of.

Ultimately, what all those bright spots add up to is the fact that knowledge, versatility, and patience can go a long way toward rising above this financial crisis. By taking advantage of the resources available in the community—which we will continue to explore in our next two specials on housing and personal finance—it might be possible to keep our chins up when everyone else seems to be looking down.

Written by Ethan Morris, Senior Producer and Stephanie Beechem, Production Support