Plenty of summer jobs available in Yakima Valley, local experts say

Business Reporter

Amy Martinez

Plenty of jobs are available this summer and beyond in the Yakima Valley, and a new kiosk organized by South Central Workforce and other agencies could help area job seekers connect with those opportunities.

The kiosk was dedicated by local officials on May 31 and opened June 1 in the Valley Mall, between the Journeys Kidz store and Caffeine Connection coffee shop.

A pilot kiosk which is the third in the state, South Central Workforce CEO Amy Martinez hopes the Valley Mall structure will help increase awareness and engagement with WorkSource, an organization that provides employment and training services to job seekers and businesses in Washington State at no cost.

"When the general public thinks about WorkSource, they generally think about unemployment. We’re much more than that – we have 14 different programs and services," Martinez said. "The kiosk will reach more people and hopefully help both workers and businesses to access our services."

Staff at the kiosk, open 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and from 4-6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, will provide information about special job training programs, promote job fairs, and connect employers with the regional business solutions team. It joins WorkSource kiosks at malls in Tacoma and Spokane, Martinez said.

"We’re just testing it now to see what the reception is," she added. "We tried to pick peak hours to staff it."

April job statistics for Yakima County, issued June 1 by Regional Labor Economist Don Meseck, show that for the first time since September 2022, the number of unemployed workers declined year-over-year. There was a 5.5% county jobless rate, compared to 6.1% in April 2022.

"The 5.5% unemployment rate this April is the lowest reading for April since county-level unemployment data began to be recorded electronically in 1990," Meseck said.

In addition, April was the 25th straight month that both Yakima County and the state of Washington saw a year-over-year expansion of jobs in nonfarming industries, Meseck reported.

Those numbers reinforce what Martinez and others at South Central Workforce have seen in the four counties they serve: Kittitas, Klickitat, Skamania and Yakima.

The May 3 event "Job Fest: Spring into Work" held outside the WorkSource office in Union Gap attracted more than 600 people and dozens of businesses hiring for positions in health care, child care, agriculture, food processing and home care, along with several government agencies, Martinez said.

"We have a lot of people out there looking for jobs, and a lot of employers looking for workers," she added. "Agriculture has the most jobs, especially as we head into summer, but there also are many opportunities in manufacturing, distribution and retail."

Martinez said Kwik Lok, the Ace Hardware distribution center in Moxee and Triumph Group aviation in Yakima are among the businesses who have reached out to WorkSource recently. She said some manufacturing jobs offer beginning pay ranging from $19 to $25 per hour.

For a current list of job openings, visit worksourcewa.com and type in "Yakima County" for the job search location.

"There's still almost two job openings for every person looking for work," Martinez said. "Employers are looking for the right fit and employees who fit their company."

One such employer is Jack Clark, manager of the Journeys Kidz store in Valley Mall. The retailer sells shoes, socks, T-shirts, backpacks, hats and other apparel and accessories for children, from infants through middle schoolers.

"We see a lot of traffic and high volume over the summer," Clark said. "We hope to have 20 (part time) employees on our staff by the end of July and August for back-to-school shopping."

Unlike some retailers, Clark said he is willing to hire 16- and 17-year-olds if they have schedule flexibility and are reliable workers.

The motivation to work, energy level and ability to work with the public are key attributes Clark is seeking in potential employees.

"They definitely have to be good with the social aspect (of working with customers)," he added. "I always tell them ‘we’re looking to make a connection, not just a sale.’"

Regarding teenage employees, Martinez said the state's Labor & Industries agency has restrictions on job duties, times they can work and the number of hours they can work per week, especially when school is in session.

For example, warehouses may hire 16- or 17-year-olds, but only for certain jobs that don't involve operating heavy machinery, Martinez said.

Further information on L&I teen worker rules and regulations is available at lni.wa.gov/TeenWorkers, or visit the U.S. Department of Labor website at youthrules.dol.gov.

Contact Joel Donofrio at [email protected].

Amy Martinez

Business Reporter

Joel Donofrio is the business reporter for the Yakima Herald. He was born and raised in the Chicago area, but he and his wife, Cathy, fell in love with the beauty (and low humidity) of the West and moved here in 2009, eventually relocating to Yakima in September 2021. They have two young adult children, Anthony and Joanna, and a dog, Molly. When he is not taking photos of construction sites, tracking down new and relocating businesses or catching up on agricultural trends, Joel enjoys playing guitar, singing, listening to music and playing and watching sports.

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