If the September statistics from the Illinois Department of Employment Security are any indication, things are looking a little brighter for the job market.
IDES spokesman Greg Rivara says the Springfield area has seen unemployment rates drop by nearly 2-percent from a year ago.
“The Springfield unemployment rate in September was 5.7%. It hasn’t been that low since 2007. There is encouraging news in the area,” says Rivara. “If past results are a predictor of future gains, we should still see some good months ahead of us.”
Rivara says seasonal employment is expected to grow as retailers are looking to hire workers for the holiday season.
All counties in Illinois saw a drop in unemployment rates in September.