Heidi Prescott and Jim Meenan, South Bend Tribune
Evidence that the local labor market has turned the corner can be found in employment statistics and conversations with business leaders and owners. But nowhere is it more obvious than on buildings, banners and digital marquees.
Help wanted. Now hiring. Apply inside.
Some of the signs are purely indicative of seasonal staffing increases, especially in Mishawaka's Grape Road commercial corridor.
But as the economy improves, and businesses invest in expansions and open new locations, many employers across the region are looking to add workers. These new jobs are slowly but surely moving the region closer to pre-2008 employment levels but also creating more competition for that pool of workers, who can now be more selective.
"As we talk to our employers, we hear that it has become increasingly challenging for them to find the workers they need," said Jeff Rea, president and chief executive of the St. Joseph County Chamber of Commerce. "It's a competitive marketplace -- and that's a good thing if you're a worker, because wages tend to go up when employers are working harder to compete for top talent."
Case in point: Costco has been flooded with 10,000-plus applications for about 200 jobs at the new Mishawaka store that is expected to open in late October. The national warehouse company is known for its higher-than-average retail wages and benefits.
The fact that Costco is drowning in applications serves as a reminder that some people remain unemployed, underemployed, or are actively seeking better wages and benefits. And it raises the stakes among employers who are searching for workers.
"It's a great sign of an improving job market when you see stores and restaurants post 'help wanted' signs. Back during the Great Recession, there were no such signs," said Richard Measell, chair of the Department of Business Administration and Economics at Saint Mary's College in South Bend.