Economic History: The Great Recession and Recovery

The national and international recession that spanned the final George W. Bush years and the beginning of President Barack Obama's term ended in 2009 or 2010, according to the US Federal Government and other sources.

Our national government prefers the year 2009 as the end point of the downturn, although many states seem to remain in recession in 2012, 2013, 2014 and probably thereafter. Lingering effects of the recession continued for many years, but some states like Texas were hardly touched at all.

Campaign advertisements on television for the 2012 Elections displayed a bar graph that showed increasing jobs after march 2009. Not everyone in America agreed with that graph (see below).

Many residents of the US feel that their own particular state or city is mired in the Recession long term, years past 2010. For some of these voices, that may be true. the days of everyone is a small town going to the coal mine after high school are over. The same is true of small towns where everyone used to work in the local factory.

Manufacturing experienced an upsurge in 2011 - 2012 in certain industries that included

• Oil & Natural Gas - Especially in North Dakota, Ohio and Pennsylvania
• Computers and Components
• Aerospace Manufacturing - By May 1, 2012 NASA had gathered 63 different aerospace companies into its Commercial Crew across 26 states. Access the link to learn about the companies, their products, and jobs becoming available.
• Healthcare Manufacturing
• Auto Manufacturing in Southeast Michigan/Greater Detroit and parts of Ohio
• Healthcare and Information Technologies Services also increased jobs.

SUBSIDIES

Stimulus Funding to the US States helped extend Unemployment Benefits to up to 99 weeks for many of the out of work, but this program began scaling back in 2011.

The Recession lasted officially from 2008 - 2009, but most of the US States report effects through 2010. For example, about 1/3 of all residents in Ohio received Food Stamps through the US Federal SNAP program.

Big news in May 2012 was that the receipt of Food Stamps across the USA declined for the first time since January 2009 during the Barack Obama Presidential Administration. The numbers of Food Stamp recipients in February, March, and April 2012 declined. Until that time, the use of food Stamps had increased by 47% between January 2009 - January 12. Welfare caseloads declined 5% from January 2011 to May 2012.

MEDICAID remained in high use, although number of new accounts declined in 2nd Qtr 2012.

[Reference: http://triblive.com/usworld/world/1875613-74/recession-states-welfare-2010-benefits-data-medicaid-obama-percent-program Retrieved May 28, 2012]

FEWER VACATIONS

Quote: A survey by Harris Interactive found that about 57 percent of working Americans had unused vacation time at the end of 2011, and most of them left an average of 11 days on the table -- or nearly 70 percent of their allotted time off...labor experts say the fact that so many workers left vacation days on the table last year underscores the lingering effect of the Great Recession...

[Reference: Recession is lingering for many who pass up trips for paid vacation time http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/05/27/3990244/recession-is-lingering-for-many.html Retrieved May 28, 2012]

Even though 100s or 1,000s of jobs may be posted in your metropolitan area and gathered on SimplyHired.com and Indeed.com (check both job search engines), job seekers may still meet difficulties in obtaining work.

One source of help is found in the system of Workforce Investment Act (WIA) county agencies set up to help job seekers with finding work and obtaining supportive services to help them stay at work. Some of these supportive services include help with housing, transplantation, child care, utilities and food, and similar. education and training are also offered to those that require ore education for certain jobs. Apprenticeship programs are available as well. Further, targeted jobs services for workers aged 55+, veterans, and other groups operate in most counties.

Examples of WIA Agencies to contact are described in detail at the following links:

• Job Search Resources For Displaced Workers, 55+ Older Workers and Others in Portland, Oregon

  During May to June 2012, 36,000 out of 58,000 jobs listed for Oregon were located within a radius of 25 miles from. This is 62% of all available jobs in the state. many are in the Professions and higher-paying, but help is available for finding other...

• Employment Resources and Job Sites for Seniors 55+ and Other Groups In Texas

  What do you do in Texas when you are in the 50+ or 55+ year-old bracket and out of work? Perhaps you've been laid off or widowed and never worked outside the home. The counties of Texas each have agencies that have received funding specifically to...

• Look for your local WIA Office online on your County Website or search "WIA Offices" followed by your county name; go to that site and look for "jobs" or "onestops." Jobs officers are sometimes listed as One Stop Shops.

• How to Find a Job During a Recession - This links helps job seekers to find WIA workforce agencies around the United States. It also presents a look at the most high demand occupations and careers for the 2010s.
• Make Yourself Indispensable at Work - Workers that have the most to contribute are the employees that can avoid company layoffs and down sizing.
• Personal Qualities that Avoid Job Loss
• Companies That Hire During a Recession – Recession Proof Careers
• Recession: How to Find Companies That Will Really Hire You
• Top 15 Recession-Proof Jobs for College and High School Graduates
• College Towns are Often Recession-Proof - Colleges and Universities partner with local and national businesses and government agencies to provide new jobs in industries these partnerships target. In addition, these schools offer a number of jobs themselves, along with internships in the school and in the community. The school is often the center of active business growth.