The demand for workers is high across the Northwoods.
“One company is registered they have over 20 openings. That’s just one company,” said Jenny Kowalczyk, employment and training specialist and TAA case coordinator with the Department of Workforce Development.
She said there are more than 50 companies registered for Wednesday’s virtual job fair.
“I know a couple companies have raised their minimum wage increase just to get the job seekers there. There definitely is a need for job seekers for our businesses in the Northwoods,” said Kowalczyk.
The virtual job fair covers employers in nine counties as far south as Wood stretching all the way to the Upper Peninsula border with Vilas and Forest Counties.
The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented.
In the North Central Region of Wisconsin, unemployment skyrocketed from 3.8% in March to 13.5% in April 2020 right after the Safer at Home order first went into place.
While the unemployment rate in our region has mostly recovered, people are still feeling the impact. Among businesses hardest hit are those in the leisure and hospitality industry.
Credit Katie Thoresen/WXPR
Pam Murphy owns Tilly’s Coffee Shop in Downtown Rhinelander.
The Safer at Home order forcing her to shut down for two months came less than a year after Tilly’s had opened its door.
The economy in North Central Wisconsin is slowly recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. After unemployment peaked in April at 13.5 percent it finished the