Breaking News - Greater Yuma Economic Development Corporation

Some Hope Amidst Economic Gloom

Apr. 1st, 2010
Joyce Lobeck

Headlines these days of nearly 30 percent unemployment, closing businesses and soaring foreclosure and bankruptcy numbers paint a gloomy picture of the local economy. But there are a few rays of light and hope. President Frank D. Roosevelt with his fireside chats "was a leader trying to generate some hope," noted John Morales, executive director of the Yuma Private Industry Council. He sees the same leadership at work in Yuma to convey a "strong vision for the future." And despite the spiraling loss of jobs that resulted in an unemployment rate of 29.6 percent for February, there are jobs available, Morales said. Several job fairs are coming up with participating employers actively hiring, said Patrick Goetz, training manager for YPIC. On Tuesday, the third annual HireVetsFirst career fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at American Legion Post 19, 2575 S. Virginia Drive. For more information, call Richard Perez or Jim Engels at 783-2090, or John DeWitt at 329-0990. ACT, a call center in San Luis, Ariz., will hold its own job fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday at YPIC, 3842 W. 16th St. Goetz said ACT currently has 1,100 employees and is looking to hire an additional 150 to 200 people. Goodwill will host a job fair from 9 a.m. to noon April 14 at the Yuma Main Library, 2951 S. 21st Drive. A number of employers from various industries, including insurance, banking, government and health care, will be there looking for potential new employees. In addition, Allstate Insurance is looking for claim processing specialists for its Yuma Express Claim Center, Safety Sam is seeking sales representatives for its safety materials (call 328-8315 for details) and Global Contact Services (GCS) is taking applications for more than 100 positions for its North American operations, including its contact center in Yuma. "In these tough times, it is difficult to watch the economic and emotional impact inflicted on the lives of families and communities when companies lay off or close locations," said George Simons, vice president of marketing for GCS. "We are fortunate to provide a valued service that continues to be in demand by a broad group of clients." As for the future, "there are projects out there that are looking at Yuma," said Julie Engel, president and CEO of Greater Yuma Economic Development Corp. She also is encouraged about the solar project that will be developed in eastern Yuma County as well as the unveiling of a major solar project at Arizona Western College that is expected to hire 200 and become a leader in new renewable energy technology. Engel said she also hopes to see local jobs created with the millions of dollars in construction projects planned at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in anticipation of the arrival of the F-35 joint strike fighter. And San Luis II, the nearly completed new commercial port of entry, is expected to bring new industry to the border area. But her biggest concern for now is not losing any more local businesses. "We're trying to come up with innovative ways to keep them going." To that end, the Southwest Arizona Futures Forum convened recently to search for ways to save jobs and put people back to work now. After brainstorming, participants came up with such ideas as furloughs and pay cuts rather than layoffs, flex schedules, sharing resources and co-operative buying of goods and services. They also appealed to local governments to reduce barriers to business and to look to local vendors and contractors for municipal projects. Meanwhile, the Yuma County Chamber of Commerce continues its shop locally campaign, urging residents to keep their dollars in the community. "It will be up to the community to solve the problems facing it," Morales concluded. He believes it will. "It's still a pretty good community. Look at the way people stepped up to save the prison."

Joyce Lobeck
Sun Staff Writer
The Sun
Apr. 1st, 2010

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