Budget cuts are forcing closure of a southwest Bakersfield career center at a time of rising local unemployment.
Employers’ Training Resource will close its Career Services Center at 5121 Stockdale Highway in Bakersfield by March 20.
The agency, which teams with other government agencies to provide job training and employment hunt help to the unemployed, just can’t afford to keep the office open, said Director Verna Lewis.
Lewis said the agency is funded through the federal Workforce Investment Act and funding for ETR has been cut from $42 million in 2001 to $18.2 million in this fiscal year.
Funding is expected to drop to $15.1 million in the 2008-2009 fiscal year, according to a memo by Lewis to the county of Kern.
Lewis is scheduled to explain the situation to Kern County supervisors Tuesday.
Kern County Supervisor Michael Rubio said now is not the time to cut services to job seekers.
“It’s an ugly result of mismanagement at the federal level,” he said. “This is a time in which we should be training people to get a job. Instead of furthering our efforts, the federal government has drastically cut back.”
Kern County's unemployment rate rose to 9.9 percent in January, up from 9.4 percent in December and 8.8 percent a year before, according to the state Employment Development Department.
California's unemployment rate in January was 6.3 percent, while the nationwide rate was 5.4 percent.
Lewis said her agency has no choice but to close the Stockdale facility — though it was the flagship office that first brought staff from five government agencies together to offer services.
“Most of our costs are staff, provider contracts and facility fees,” Lewis said. “We don’t have any fat to cut. It’s cutting the bone.”
Clients will need to come to ETR’s offices at 2001 28th St. or the southeast Bakersfield Career Services Center at 1600 E. Belle Terrace to receive services.
They can also call 325-HIRE, Lewis said.
And those services, she said, will likely be slower and harder to get.
Unemployment rates are up and there are a lot of people who need a job, Lewis said.
“Just today at the job fair they had over 1,200 people. There’s a great need for people who need jobs,” Lewis said.
Rubio said ETR will still work to help people.
“It doesn’t mean we are going to turn away people who need services. Does it present a challenge? Absolutely,” he said.
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