Our Economy: The changing job market

GREEN BAY - This past spring we took a close look at unemployed workers heading back to area technical colleges to update their resumes. For many their skills were outdated, unable to compete for jobs in today's changing economy. Now we see if those workers were able to adapt to our changing economic times.

Ed Van Asten is one of thousands in Northeast Wisconsin who got caught up in our troubled economy. He lost his job at NewPage after 28 years when the company closed its Kimberly paper mill in August of 2008. At the time, he says the thought of being unemployed was unimaginable.

"Wow, they're actually going to do this," Van Asten said about his plant closing.

As the economy continued to crumble, the unemployment rate continued to rise in Wisconsin.

The year 2008 ended with a statewide unemployment rate of 5.6%. By March it hit a 27-year high at 9.4%. The numbers remained fairly steady through June before dropping to 7.7 percent in September.

"It's very competitive and the more things you can get to work in your favor the better," said Van Asten.

With no viable employment options early on Van Asten enrolled in a 44 week program at Fox Valley Technical College to update his skills on today's more modern manufacturing machinery.

Fox Valley Tech witnessed a surge in new, older students due to the economic downturn and business closings.

"It's encouraging to see the people want to make a lifestyle and vocation change in their life," said John Shreve with Fox Valley Technical College.

Back in May, we caught up with Van Asten who was mid way through the school's printing and label manufacturing program--an industry that has continued to thrive.

"We'll I'd really like to stay in something related to the paper industry and I knew printing was a growing industry," Van Asten told us back in May.

After learning a new set of skills, Van Asten graduated in late August and found a new job just a month later manufacturing labels at Coating Excellence in Wrightstown.

"Having 28 years at one company would still be nice but that's history, the past now, we have to move on to the future, and from what I'm seeing at the company for the amount of time I've worked there now, I definitely do see a bright future," said Van Asten.

Not all those who went back to school have found jobs though. Joan Petasek graduated from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in May and is still looking for her new opportunity.

"Right now, it's tough out there because they're hiring 'experience' so it's a tough market," said Petasek.

Petasek worked 37 years at Georgia Pacific. She went back to school to explore a whole new line of work and is confident a job will come. In the meantime she continues to attend Job Center seminars and workshops to improve her chances at success.

"I'm hoping the economy is turning around. It's going to take time so I'm hoping it will turn around quickly," Petasek said.

Administration officials here at Fox Valley Tech say there are many professions showing signs of growth. And the school is working to make sure students are ready.

An estimated 200,000 more diesel technicians will be needed by 2014 (light & Truck Magazine 10/09) and demand for Occupational Therapy Assistants is anticipated to grow 16 percent by 2016 (Wisconsin WorkNet).

Shreve, chairman of Fox Valley Tech's Advisory Committee and a local business owner, says the job market is picking up but employers, including himself, remain cautious.

"As everybody else who has laid people off are doing right now, and that is, as business picks up they are going to push it as far as they can before they re-hire," said Sheve.

While the unemployment rate still hovers close to 8 percent in the state, meaning some 235,000 people are unemployed, there are companies adding on.

In recent months, APAC Customer Service in Green Bay added more than 400 jobs, Oshkosh Corporation secured new military contracts and looked to add 500 new employees. And on the verge of losing 850 jobs at Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac, employee concessions saved those jobs and will move additional plant operations to the area with a plan to add more than 200 workers.

But economists say these companies still remain in the minority when it comes to hiring.

"Oshkosh Truck and APAC of course are doing that but the bigger story I think is businesses are going to want to be a little bit healthier, they want to be a little more optimistic about what their future looks like before they make the commitment to hiring more people," said Kevin Quinn, an economics professor at Saint Norbert College.

So while Petasek awaits that new career, and Van Asten is already there--they both agree that taking a break and heading back to school gave them each the best chance to get back to work.

Ed and Joan are just part of the first wave of older students who went back to school after finding themselves unemployed in this economy. More are set to graduate this December.