Despite jobs in Illinois disappearing at a rapid pace, Champaign-Urbana finds ways to cushion the blow taken through the economic downturn via services and employment opportunities for its community.

The number of jobless individuals in Champaign-Urbana climbed two percent from last year.

Champaign-Urbana’s unemployment rate increased from 4.9 percent in March 2008 to 6.9 percent in March 2009, according to data released Thursday by the Illinois Department of Employment Security.

“Unemployment rates tend to rise after the economy declines,” said Fred Giertz, head of the University’s department of economics. “It may actually get higher because the rates tend to follow the economy. (The unemployment rates) tell you what has happened, but not what will happen.”

In comparison, the Illinois average unemployment rate is 9.1 percent.

“It’s because of the stability of the University,” Giertz said.

“We don’t have big upswings. The University hasn’t had that many layoffs and the stability of Springfield makes unemployment (rates lower).”

Keri Pipkins, assistant director at the Career Center, said the University is a big employer and has an extra help program, which provides a temporary position that pays by the hour.

Overall, there has been noticeable job growth in education-related government employment, said Greg Rivera, spokesman for the Illinois Department of Employment Security.

The construction and leisure-hospitality employment sector grew compared to last year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The government is trying to generate more economic activity to deal with the downturn, Giertz said.

The government won’t necessarily match individuals with jobs but instead will create more job opportunities, he added.

Students who are unemployed or looking for jobs can utilize the University’s Career Center consultants at the 25 major-specific career centers on campus.

Students can make career counseling appointments and choose what topics to discuss.

“We meet with students on topics ranging from ‘I don’t know what to do with my life,’ to ‘I’m in a major I don’t like,’ to pre-med and pre-law advisory,” Pipkins said.

Students may also search for available internships and jobs through the Career Center’s Web site.

“We have an online job board called I-Link,” Pipkins said. “There are 10 different job boards across the majors. Students can register and upload their resume in the system and apply for jobs in the system. Any employers looking to hire full-time employees and interns may post positions in the program.”

For unemployed members of the community, the Illinois Department of Employment Security helps identify new career opportunities regardless of job status. Rivera said those with jobs can receive similar services as the unemployed, including a skills match program aimed at comparing a person’s skills with suitable occupations.

“Skills match is an effort to match the skills of a worker with the needs of a business,” Rivera said.

“By answering a series of questions, their information is compared to the needs of a profession. It’s a way to connect businesses with potential employees.”

Rivera said the Illinois Department of Employment Security works with local and regional partners to provide job training programs specific to people’s areas of expertise.

The Department of Employment Security also provides unemployment insurance benefits for people whose salary was under a specified amount, as long as the reason for layoffs was legitimate.

“A person who made less than $21,250 last year, assuming they worked the whole year, would be eligible for $384 a week,” Rivera said.

“If they had a non-working spouse they are eligible for $459 a week. If they have dependent children they are eligible for $534 a week.”

By law, Illinois provides jobless individuals with 26 weeks of unemployment insurance. Two federal extensions added 33 more weeks.

In addition, Governor Pat Quinn’s announcement last Thursday added 13 weeks of unemployment benefits, bringing the total length of eligibility for unemployment benefits to 72 weeks.

Rivera said $25 per week has recently been added to each level of benefits.

“Most of the operational funding comes from the government,” Rivera said. “The unemployment insurance trust fund comes from businesses in Illinois.”