Staff Photo by Matt Hamilton / Christy Gillenwater is president and CEO of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce.A new website that connects local job-seekers to work and training opportunities and sells the story of the Scenic City to folks considering a move launched this week as part of the work of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce.
“Area employers tell us they are hiring, and they’re asking for help to locate great job candidates,” said Christy Gillenwater, president and CEO of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce in a statement announcing the launch of Chattanooga Calling.com. “Jobless numbers tell the story of the fallout from the pandemic and we know people need jobs right now.”
After declining steadily for five months from the record high jobless rate reached in April, unemployment rose again in the Chattanooga area in October as an influx of workers looking for jobs outpaced the growth in employment.
The unemployment rate in the six-county Chattanooga region rose to 5.7% in October, up from 5.2% in September. However, the area jobless rate is still less than half the record high 13.3% reached in April after the coronavirus pandemic shut down many restaurants, stores and factories this spring.
On Wednesday, the site listed 2,282 available jobs.