By Lindsey Rowland
lrowland@wbcowqel.com

Whether they are finished with college or high school classes, recent graduates are discovering the stark and often difficult reality of adult life in the job market.

Numbers of joblessness fluctuate all the time, with Crawford County coming in with the 22nd highest unemployment rate in the state. Numbers like these can lead to discouragement, but according to Angela Neef, the supervisor for Crawford County Job and Family Service, it doesn’t have to be.

Neef, who sees a large amount of people come through her office actively looking for employment, says that there are a lot of venues to work in, especially in the field of manufacturing. Neef says there are both entry level jobs and those that require a skill set at such places as Honda suppliers, Galion LLC, Crawford Machine, IB Tech, and more.

“There are good manufacturing opportunities to get your foot in the door and to work toward a higher wage,” Neef said.

As someone who specializes in getting the citizens of Bucyrus jobs, Neef said that she would like to see more interest in building manufacturing skills.

“The more you put into something, to more you get out.” Neef said. She encourages everyone to be lifelong learners and to not be content; to desire skills and to come at everything with enthusiasm, whether it be one class or even a certificate program.

Finding work can be especially scary for college graduates who work hard at their studies only to be thrust into uncertain waters. One graduate who was able to find his footing was John Kime, a 2009 Bucyrus High School graduate who headed to Tiffin University.

After three years there, he graduated with a degree in marketing. He picked business because it seemed to be a good way to go, and two days before graduation, he was offered a job at Ohio Mutual Insurance Group in the Underwriting Department.

Kime said it was a five minute difference between the phone call for Ohio Mutual and another job, but that it’s been a good choice.

Kime, who has extremely deep roots in the community, was optimistic when asked about the job market in Crawford County.

“It’s no secret: what’s around us in corn fields, but there are a lot of things happening in this town and this area,” Kime said.

Kime went on to mention that there are multiple places that he knows that has hired his friends and classmates, including General Electric and StarTek.

When asked what his advice to other young people seeking jobs in Crawford County he said, “Think outside the box, diversify yourself, try something new. Keep challenging yourself and who knows, you might even find something else that you like to do.”

Those interested in learning more about the specific jobs available in Crawford County can visit the local Job and Family Services office across from Kroger in Bucyrus.