How reliable are the new unemployment figures for Sudbury?
There are several things to keep in mind when the unemployment rate is used as a measure of how well the local economy is doing. • The sample for the Labour force survey in our region is very small, and may not accurately reflect short run changes. Over a longer period they do provide a useful indication of unemployment patterns. • Low unemployment does not mean high employment. People are unemployed when they are looking for work. They look when they think there is hope. Unemployment may rise when the economy is growing and fall when it shrinks. • Unemployment doesn’t tell us anything about the mix of jobs available • Raw unemployment rates don’t tell us who is unemployed. High levels of unemployment among the young may go with high and stable employment among mature workers. Occupations used in calculating occupational concentration.
