Jobs report shows 272,000 jobs added, Kern County unemployment double national average

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — (KBAK/FOX58) Once again the jobs market has beaten expectations. The United States adding 272,000 jobs in the month of May.

However, national unemployment jumped to 4%. Kern County’s unemployment average is more than double the federal level at 9.3%. Dr. Richard Gearhart is the Economics Department Chair at Cal State-Bakersfield. The economist says its because of our blue collar workforce.

“We tend to be more cyclical jobs,” Gearhart said. “Ag, construction, oil, and gas activities; they tend to slow down a little bit over the summer because it gets hotter and there is less water available and less outdoor activity.”

Dr. Gokce Soydemir at Stanislaus State says the Central Valley is still dealing with inflation, too. Despite inflation slowly trickling downward, folks could feel its effect at the pump.

“It is an improvement but not as much as one would like,” Soydemir said. “It seems to be stuck around 3%. So that is causing problems. Mainly because of regional conflicts. I mean having an effect on the price of oil.”

New numbers from California are expected in the next two weeks.