- The jobless rate in North Rhine-Westphalia increases beyond typical expectations.
North Rhine-Westphalia's jobless count climbed about 9,733 to roughly 773,100 individuals in August, compared to July. The joblessness rate went up by 0.1 percentage points to hit 7.7%, as per a report from the North Rhine-Westphalia branch of the Federal Employment Agency in Düsseldorf. A year earlier, the rate was at 7.4%. The data used for the statistics stretched up to August 14.
Unemployment has been on an uptrend for three consecutive months. "The increase is sturdier than typical for this period," said Roland Schüßler, head of the management board of the Federal Employment Agency in NRW. "One could have predicted an increase of up to 5,000 people." Apart from this, a sluggish economic condition is weighing down on the job market.
A minor surge in unemployment during the summer is usual, as many young people sign up as unemployed following their school or training completion, and temporary contracts end. However, youth unemployment has also gone up more than normal, exceeding 5%. This evidently reflects the current reluctance in hiring, mentioned Schüßler. "Companies have been reporting fewer new job openings for a while now."
As the new training year commences, the regional branch for NRW presented a mixed mid-term assessment. More young individuals have decided to undergo training this year. The number of applicants has grown around 2% compared to last year, reaching approximately 102,200. Furthermore, the number of foreign applicants has increased considerably (+14%). Nevertheless, the number of company training positions has decreased (-4%), now at around 102,100. Approximately 33,000 positions remain unfilled, with an equivalent number of candidates.
The increase in unemployment in North Rhine-Westphalia resulted in an increase in the employment agency's jobless count, reaching approximately 773,100 individuals in August. This rise in unemployment is affecting various sectors of the job market, including the number of new job openings, which have reportedly decreased.
