Job Front: Employment report a tick better than year ago

Sacramento employers plan to grow their workforces and fill empty desks this summer while also seeking traditional seasonal hires.

More than four in 10 employers surveyed in May and June said they plan to hire for growth while 40 percent expect to hire to fill job vacancies, according to the Pacific Staffing quarterly report on hiring trends.

Another 20 percent of projected hires are expected to be for seasonal positions in the third quarter, the report said.

With regional unemployment hovering near 11 percent, employers are seeing plenty of job seekers, but recruiters say finding candidates with specific skills remains a challenge.

Still, the report is a far cry from this time last year. A third of employers in Pacific Staffing's July 2011 report said they had no plans to hire at all last summer.

"There has been incremental, slow improvement over time, but we're starting to see it," said market analyst Rick Reed, who prepares the quarterly survey.

Sacramento's recovery has been a long slog and remains a work in progress, but, even in the wake of Friday's lackluster national jobs report, there may be reasons for employers' optimism going into the summer quarter.

Last year, employers headed into summer with concerns over fluctuating gasoline prices and an unresolved state budget.

Today, there is more stability on both fronts, even though local employers are still somewhat wary. Reed said that shows in the report's seasonal hiring projections.

Employers are opting to hire to address seasonal needs rather than investing in the traditional temporary-to-permanent job track, he said.

"It's a more cautious way to look at employment," he said.

Computer training class

The Stride Center, the technology training nonprofit, is registering applicants for its upcoming A+ Certificate computer training class starting next Monday.

The 22-week session trains students to become certified computer technicians and prepares them for A+ testing and certification.

A+ certification demonstrates competency as a computer technician, including knowledge of operating systems, computer hardware and computer assembly.

Applicants needn't have tech training, said Darby Patterson, the Stride Center's Sacramento director. The center works primarily with displaced workers and those who are changing careers.

Patterson said the training is a first step toward a career in information technology.

"Our bottom line is to serve people with barriers to employment," Patterson said.

"If they have the aptitude and desire to do hard work, that's the person we're looking for."

The nonprofit has again teamed with Goodwill Industries to offer the program.

Classes are 6 to 9 p.m. weekdays at the Goodwill Job Connection Center, 4207 Norwood Ave., Sacramento. Space is limited.

For more information, call (916) 596-0569 or (866) 714-9692, email the center at sacramento@stridecenter.org, or visit www.stridecenter.org

Let us hear from you

Is your company hiring? Is your organization hosting a career fair? Is your campus rolling out a job skills program? Contact Job Front at dvsmith@sacbee.com

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