Unemployment in Alexandria at 4.8 Percent

Unemployment in Alexandria remains below the national average, but the 4.8 percent rate recorded in June is much higher than what Alexandria has experienced in the past.

Members of the city’s Department of Community and Human Services briefed City Council on Tuesday night of the unemployment picture and challenges currently facing Alexandria.

Following the collapse of the U.S. economy, 5.1 percent of the city’s labor force was unemployed in June 2009. That number was reduced to 4.8 percent in June of this year.

In contrast, unemployment was just 1.8 percent in 2000. According to the DCHS report, unemployment jumped to 2.7 percent following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. It remained steady before jumping several points in 2009.

Dennis McKinney, director of the city’s Center for Economic Support, said currently there are about 5,000 unemployed citizens in Alexandria. The city’s proximity to Washington, which offers government contracting and related jobs, keeps unemployment lower than the national average. Nationally, unemployment is 9.1 percent.

Since 1996, the city has operated its JobLink Career Center to provide employment and training opportunities to citizens in pursuit of jobs and career improvement.

McKinney said the JobLink Career Center puts two Alexandrians to work every hour it is open.

According to the DCHS report, the five occupation groups with the largest number of unemployed claims in the city include construction, business and financial operations, sales, management, and office and administrative support.

Councilman Frank Fannon spoke of how construction has a profound effect on other businesses, from plumbing and electrical work to furniture sales.

“We do have a lot of construction in the pipeline, so hopefully that will open some avenues here in Alexandria,” Fannon said.

McKinney said East African-born residents living in the West End emerged as a growing segment of the city’s unemployed. McKinney said there has been an increase in Ethiopians looking for unemployment services at the JobLink Career Center.

Vice Mayor Kerry Donley said this uptick is in line with data from the U.S. Census that City Council received this year. Data show East Africans as the fastest growing segment of the city’s population.

The industries with the highest number of new hires in Alexandria include professional, scientific and technical services, accommodation and food services, retail trade, waste management and administrative support, which is one of the groups with the largest number of unemployment claims.

The top three employers in the city determined by the number of employees includes the Commerce Department (which includes the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office), Defense Department and Alexandria City Public Schools.