Workforce Boulder County, or WBC, released an update on the state of employment in Boulder County.
WBC is a Colorado Workforce Center that offers services to job seekers and businesses including career skills, growing financial stability or finding the right person to fill a position.
Every three months, WBC releases an update on the state of employment in the county. The recent data includes the first two quarters of the organization’s program year which spans from July 1 to Dec. 31.
In this timeframe, WBC saw a 41% increase in job seekers compared to the same term in 2022. Just over 7,000 people — both currently employed and unemployed — sought the services of WBC.
Barbara Larsen, business support analyst for WBC, said the increase in job seekers is hard to tie to any one aspect. However, the county reports that job openings have decreased by 18% in the last year.
She said that the number of job seekers ebbs and flows, sometimes depending on the time of year. In the winter, more people begin looking for jobs, she said.
Boulder County’s unemployment rate is 3.1%. It remains lower than the Colorado level of 3.3% and the national average of 3.7%. Although still lower than the state and national levels, the county’s unemployment rate increased from 2.3% in 2022.
Compared to the first two quarters of the program year 2022, the county’s unemployment insurance rates increased by 59% with 4,235 claimants.
“If you look at (these statistics), you will see a pattern … More people are looking for work and there are fewer jobs,” Larsen said. “It’s hard to get an overall picture of our economy from this little snapshot … this is a moment in time.”
