Local Unemployment Climbs Slightly; Parks Hiring

By Desiree Parker Friday, August 06, 2010

Unemployment numbers in all three Triangle localities have been on a slight climb over the second quarter of this year during a time when the tourist and hospitality industries are generally hiring for summer season.

From April through June, the state unemployment numbers have climbed slightly from 6.7 percent in April to 6.9 percent in May and 7.1 percent in June.

In the Triangle, localities have generally followed the same trend (see breakout), with each locality except Williamsburg rising a few tenths of a percent each month.

The second quarter is when college graduates join the labor force for the first time, and they are counted in unemployment numbers if they are actively seeking jobs, according to Virginia Employment Commission Senior Economist Ann Lang. The Triangle may be seeing its share of recent grads looking for work if jobs aren’t readily available and graduates have decided to stay on in the area.

Lang also says now is a difficult time for the labor market, because there are mixed signals about the economy and its recovery and employers seem hesitant to hire due to the uncertainty.

As for the local tourism and hospitality industry, visitation numbers have been sliding for years at Colonial Williamsburg - the area's most senior tourist draw.

Colonial Williamsburg reported ticket sales dropped seven percent last year (as they have continued to do over the years), though spokesman Tom Shrout said the organization’s seasonal hiring was about the same this year as it was last year.

Over at Busch Gardens and Water Country, the news is much better.

Busch Gardens has been offering steep deals on tickets this year and has added Christmas Town and Illuminights to its lineup, which seemed to have kept the park profitable last year (see a comparison of national theme park performance here.) Beyond that speculation, there's proof of a strong season at both parks because of continued hiring for workers to replace those who are returning to school or regular work.

The parks announced Thursday they'd be hiring replacement workers to finish out the regular seasons along with those who will see Busch Gardens through its Howl-O-Scream event that runs until Oct. 31. The park will reopen Nov. 26 for its second season of Christmas Town.

Spokesman Kevin Crossett said the amusement and water parks hired just under 5,000 seasonal workers at the beginning of the summer. They reduced the number of international students this year, to put the hiring emphasis on locals.

"We want to make sure we support the local economy," said Crossett.