Tagged News

• Hallmark offers sympathy cards for the unemployed Play Video

  January 20, 2012 8:44 PM

  A popular greeting card company is putting a different spin on unemployment with one of its latest line of cards. Hallmark recently released job loss cards, targeting people who are looking for work. Some feel Hallmark is just cashing in on the recession, but others are finding inspiration and... more »

• Teens explore career options Play Video

  October 7, 2011 7:58 PM

  High School students across the Central Coast got the chance to play the career field today at Allan Hancock College. The school hosted its annual Career Exploration Day. The event was open to the public, but geared toward teens. Around 50 education and industry representatives were on hand to help... more »

• Labor Day redefined for local job seekers

  September 2, 2011 9:11 PM

  Unemployment remained flat last month, spelling more bad news for the nation's economy. The jobless rate stayed at 9.1 percent in August and no new jobs were added. 14 million people across the country are out of work. Six million of them have been without jobs for at least... more »

• CHW lays off 30 healthcare workers

  August 5, 2011 9:24 PM

  Some Central Coast hospitals are cutting jobs to offset rising healthcare costs. Catholic Healthcare West laid off a total of 30 people today. 19 were from Marian Medical Center in Santa Maria. The rest were from Arroyo Grande Community Hospital and French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo.... more »

• Study finds job search for college grads getting tougher

  May 19, 2011 9:42 PM

  Only half of recent college graduates have landed jobs that require a degree. That's the latest from a study at Rutgers University. With college graduations around the corner, many seniors will either continue their education or enter a workforce with limited jobs. Employment rates have dropped sharply in... more »

• UCSB Economic forecast predicts slow growth for northern SB County

  May 6, 2011 10:21 PM

  It's slow going for our local economy, but you can expect to see some growth. Economic experts at UCSB released their annual economic forecast project for Northern Santa Barbara County this morning. Local economists say agriculture and professional business services will see the most growth through 20-18. The real... more »

• Local economy shows steady improvement

  April 1, 2011 10:05 PM

  Good news for the nation's economy. The unemployment rate in the U.S. has reached a two year low. The latest numbers show unemployment in the u-s dropped to 8.8 percent in March, but in California, the rate is more than 12 percent. Locally, unemployment in San Luis Obispo County... more »

• Intel chief to join White House council on jobs

  February 18, 2011 11:42 AM

  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A White House official says President Barack Obama will name Intel Corp. CEO Paul Otellini to the president's advisory council on jobs and competitiveness. Otellini has criticized Obama's economic policies. Obama was visiting Intel's semiconductor manufacturing facility in Hillsboro, Ore., on Friday. He is on the... more »

• Career Fair showcases many industries

  October 8, 2010 9:21 PM

  With the news that the U.S. lost more jobs last month, today's Career Exploration Day at Allan Hancock College was pretty timely. More than 1600 people showed up. The college says that's about 200 more than last year. More than 50 companies were there, representing manufacturing, agriculture, and law... more »

• Career Fair focuses on top jobs

  October 8, 2010 1:01 PM

  Representatives from more than 50 companies , including employers from manufacturing, agriculture, law enforcement and the medical field, will be at Allan Hancock College this morning for Career Exploration Day. They will be speaking with students and the public about job opportunities within their industries. The event runs... more »

• Local veterans voice support for Prop 23

  September 29, 2010 8:39 PM

  Local veterans groups joined together today in support of Proposition 23. The initiative would temporarily repeal A.B. 32, the Global Warming Act which requires companies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. Vets say Prop 23 would protect more than a million jobs, but opponents say it would keep... more »

• Planning Commision set to decide on Walmart expansion

  September 22, 2010 9:22 PM

  Lompoc leaders are expected to make a decision tonight about whether to let Walmart expand. The controversial project would add another 41-thousand square feet to the existing building. It would also turn it into a Walmart Supercenter, offering meat and produce. If approved by the planning commision, the expansion... more »

• Prop 23 has both sides fuming over green retrofits

  September 2, 2010 1:20 PM

  Supporters call it the California Jobs Initiative while opponents label it as the Dirty Energy Proposition. No matter where you stand, Proposition 23 is all the rage heading into the November election. If passed, it would appeal AB 32, also known as the Global Warming Act of 2006. That... more »

• Most Hancock students choosing hands-on education

  August 23, 2010 5:11 PM

  With more than 10,000 attending so far, enrollment is already up at Alan Hancock College by about two percent from this time last year. Most of those students are taking classes in technical education. 23-year-old Lucas Coulton of Paso Robles is taking his 4th machine techology class at Alan... more »

• Agencies train to help local youth find jobs

  August 11, 2010 12:49 PM

  Local organizations and agencies are training to improve how they help young people finds jobs in this tough economy. The University of California Cooperative Extension and the Santa Barbara County Workforce Investment Board is offering free train-the-trainer courses. The program was designed to benefit diverse youth ages 14-24, including... more »

• Jobs available at local trucking company

  July 28, 2010 9:14 PM

  If you're one of many still on the job hunt, listen up. A local trucking company in Santa Maria is hiring. Certified Freight Logistics hauls mainly fruits and vegetables throughout the western United States. For Santa Maria truck driver Mike Sheehan, the open road is his office and he... more »

• Local trucking company looking to hire

  July 28, 2010 2:10 PM

  A Santa Maria trucking company is looking to hire drivers. Certified Freight Logistics says its had to turn down business because it doesn't have enough drivers to make the trips. The company specializes in transporting fruits and vegetables and travels between points in California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, and Arizona. For... more »

• Training programs boost confidence for the unemployed

  July 19, 2010 10:22 PM

  Despite drops in the unemployment rate at the state and national level, local cities are still seeing increases. San Luis Obispo County jumped from just above 9.5 percent in May to 10 percent last month. Within the county, Paso Robles rose from around 11 percent to nearly 12 percent.... more »

• State and national jobless rates drop as local rates rise

  July 16, 2010 10:43 PM

  The latest unemployment numbers have come out for the month of June. Nationally, unemployment fell from 9.7 percent to 9.5 percent. California's unemployment rate also saw a slight drop from 12.4 to 12.3 percent. Closer to home, jobless rates are up. San Luis Obispo County rose from 9.6 to 10... more »

• Workforce Centers offer new tools for job hunters

  July 8, 2010 9:40 PM

  With unemployment still in the double digits, Santa Barbara County officials say there are tools available to help you find a job. In Santa Maria, the Workforce Resource Center released its online interlink program this year. Users can search for jobs as well as create and upload their resume.... more »

• Kids consider future careers at Vandenberg Middle School

  June 2, 2010 10:07 PM

  Some local middle schoolers got a chance to think about their future careers. Four teachers at Vandenberg Middle School put on Career Day today. A couple hundred students got to hear from many in the workforce, including a Lompoc fireman, a prison warden, and ksby's own Ariel Wesler. They spoke... more »

• LA City Council votes to cut 761 jobs

  May 18, 2010 1:51 AM

  LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Los Angeles City Council has voted to cut 761 jobs while continuing to seek concessions from the city employees' unions. The council voted 11-4 Monday to cut childcare workers' positions, shorten library hours, increase the cost of parking tickets and institute 26 furlough days... more »

• Getting Hired: Social Networking Donts

  May 13, 2010 10:46 PM

  To say social networking is popular is an understatement. Facebook has 400 million users and if it were a country, it would be the world's 4th largest. These days, it's also a world filled with people who could potentially access your personal information. Many are employers. . .just one click... more »

• Controversy flares up over proposed oil tax

  March 18, 2010 1:40 PM

  Assemblyman Pedro Nava (D-Santa Barbara) has introduced a controversial new bill called The Oil Industry Fair Share Act. The legislation would establish an oil severance tax of 10 percent on the gross value of each barrel of crude oil pumped by companies in California. He says the tax will provide... more »

• Obama signs jobs bill, says more must be done

  March 18, 2010 11:36 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama has signed into law a package of tax breaks and spending designed to give the nation a jobs boost. In a sunny Rose Garden ceremony, Obama said the legislation will help the private sector start hiring again. It is the first of... more »

• Unemployment up on Central Coast, but state average is higher

  March 12, 2010 10:01 PM

  Though unemployment is up on the Central Coast, it's still below the state average. The latest state figures show unemployment in San Luis Obispo County rose just less than one percent from December to January. It now stands at 10.6%. Santa Barbara County also saw a jump of about... more »

• Analysis says 1,500 CalTrans jobs are wasteful

  March 4, 2010 12:51 PM

  SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - A state report says the California Department of Transportation should eliminate 1,500 jobs in a unit it says has a bloated workforce. The recommendation from the Legislative Analyst's Office says the eliminations should come from the department's Capital Outlay Support Program. The unit manages construction... more »

• Local organization helps women start their own business

  January 29, 2010 9:25 PM

  With unemployment near record highs, a local non profit is helping women on the road to self- employment. Women's Economic Ventures, or WEV classes are taught in Santa Maria and Santa Barbara. It's business as usual for Olivia Alvarez of Guadalupe. She works at home as a small business... more »

• Organization helps women start their own business

  January 29, 2010 5:16 PM

  With unemployment numbers hovering around nine percent along the Central Coast, a local organization is trying to give women the tools they need to start their own business. Women's Economic Ventures, or WEV, is a 14 week, self employment training program. It teaches important aspects of financing, marketing, and managing... more »

• Jobs available at Santa Maria call center

  January 6, 2010 9:42 PM

  Here's a phrase you don't hear much lately: Help wanted. A local business says it needs 100 new full-time customer service employees. Fusion Contact Centers is looking for full-time customer service reps within the next three weeks at its call center in Santa Maria. The company employs more than... more »

• Dozens of jobs available at Santa Maria call center

  January 6, 2010 1:14 PM

  A local call center is looking to hire around 100 people in the next three weeks. Fusion Contact Centers has been in Santa Maria for the last four years and employs more than 300 people. The company has two centers in Santa Maria and takes customer service calls for some... more »

• Santa hearing stories of recession woes

  December 18, 2009 2:01 PM

  Santas across America are hearing requests for the bare essentials this year. That's according to the Wall Street Journal, which says more children are scaling back requests for items such as iPods and laptops. Many are asking for basics such as shoes, library cards, and even eyeglasses. The Santa... more »