Unemployment claims hits lowest point since 1969

COLUMBIA, MO (KMIZ)

The owner of Gumby's pizza said with students graduating soon and his downtown location will badly need the help.

According to the labor department, unemployment claims are the lowest since September 1969.

Lilly White, vice president of external affairs for the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, said some restaurants downtown have seen their positions fill up fast, while others are still searching to hire.

"Typically those kinds of jobs can be filled by the college students as well so in this month versus four months ago before college students were back, we're going to see those jobs filling a little bit more and better right now than they were in the summer," said White.

But Gumby's pizza owner, Noah Schmidt said his location on Rangeline Street has had no trouble through the pandemic and kept a full staff. He said college students often work for his downtown location and they always come and go.

"When they're here we're fine but when they leave for beaks that sort of thing we struggle. So moving into the next month or so over the holidays, when everyone is graduating or going home, we're definitely going to be feeling the crunch as we don't have many employees in town," said Schmidt.

Schmidt said the hardest positions to fill are for delivery drivers. He said oftentimes drivers want total flexibility with their schedule and he can't provide that.

According to the state of Missouri, Columbia had a 2.2% unemployment rate for October and there were 61 initial unemployment claims in November.

Employment in Health and Education increased by 1% percent but there is more position open in Columbia.

 "Most of the jobs that we are seeing that are open are going to be in health care and education. I mean that would lead to believe that other industries are filling their jobs a little bit," said White

According to the Chamber of Commerce, the average person who is applying for jobs in health or education is making $50,000 dollars a year.