Need Help Landing A Job?

We keep hearing from people who are looking for work but not having any luck. That's why we are looking at what options are out there.

Here's how bad the situation is. In the Buffalo-Niagara region, the unemployment rate is just over eight percent. Four counties actually have rates higher than that. And the highest one in our area is Niagara County where 9.3% of the people are searching for a job.

Since May fifth of this year Michael Vanmierlo has been looking for a job.


"I'm getting frustrated," he said. "I need a job. I need some money or something."

And he's not alone. As the unemployment teeters near the double digit mark in some Western New Y0ork counties, many people are feeling the effects.

"In retail trade, the three most important facts are location, location, location," said John Slenker with the New York State Department of Labor. "When it comes to the labor market it's training, training, training."

And what some people don't realize is the government may pay for all or some of your training. Here's why;

"They become more productive," said Slenker. "And they contribute in terms of society and as far as the government is concerned, more in tax dollars so the training pays for itself in the long run."

According to the New York State Department of Labor jobs in education and health services are industries with the most employment gains.

Places like the Buffalo Employment and Training Center can help find jobs or train for new ones. There's at least one place like this in every county in the state.

State lawmakers admit, Albany is a place jobs need to be put front and center.

"Provide more an incentive for more businesses to come here," said Assemblyman Jack Quinn (R-146th District). "You saw what happened with Yahoo. But we need to do more. We can't just have one company come in and think our problems are solved."

"In a community like Buffalo where the community has essentially always been bad it's a constant thing on your mind," said Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples (D-141st District).

Click here for information on jobs and training for the NYS Labor dept.

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