MOSES LAKE - Grant County experienced an unemployment rate of 12 percent in December.

It was two-tenths of a percent lower than one year ago, according to information provided by Mark Berreth, a Wenatchee-based regional labor economist with the state Employment Security Department.

"Grant County is leading the way toward recovery," stated Berreth.

During the recession, Grant County saw the greatest job losses in 2009 and 2010. Unemployment rates were at highs of 13.5 percent in December 2009 and 14.7 percent in January 2010.

From 2009 to 2011, nonfarm employment grew steadily.

In December 2011, some growth areas included trade and transportation at 10 percent, and nonfarm employment by 4.4 percent.

"Trade and transportation did very well this month because of a late agricultural season that required more product movement along with the trade of goods in wholesale and retail," he stated.

Government jobs are an area of expected decline this year, he explained.

The last round of government layoffs in Washington state occurred Jan. 15, 2011, he said. He knows they'll appear in the unemployment figures in the future, but isn't sure of the exact figures.

"Discouraged" workers leaving  the workforce came to 700 people in Grant County in December.

It is higher than state officials would like to see and is occurring across the state in most areas, he said.

The figure for people leaving the workforce was at 778 workers in 2008, he explained.

While people are receiving unemployment benefits, they must be seeking work.

Many people dropping out of the labor force are long-term unemployed, he said.

Once their benefits are gone, they are saying they don't want to look for work anymore, he explained.

"We're going to see those people come back again, but for the time being, they're dropping out," he said.

Some couples with children are choosing to have one spouse stay at home with the kids because of the costs associated with finding child care while job hunting, he commented.

"It takes a lot of money for them to go to a job interview and to do a job search activity," he commented. "It's just cheaper for them to stay at home with the kids."

Younger people are having a hard time finding work, as experienced workers are willing to accept a lower wage, he said.

"It keeps knocking down the totem pole," he said.

Washington state is expected to return to pre-recession employment levels in 2015, he believes.

"One thing we've been seeing, especially in Grant County, is the manufacturing growth," he said.

With the value of the of dollar decreasing in 2002, goods become cheaper,  and the area is starting to see manufacturing increase.

It is helping drive the goods-producing sector, which is boosting the service providing sector.

The people getting jobs in manufacturing still need to buy goods and services.

The state Employment Security Department is trying to help job-seekers by starting many programs, but it's been difficult with state layoffs, he explained.

"We have to pick and choose what to do at this point," Berreth said.

The state agency offers Microsoft e-learning  to Washington state residents wanting to learn computer skills.

Berreth mentioned the state offering a now in limited use program called "Prove It," which helps businesses by testing job applicants for required skills.

For example, a secretary wanting to cross over into the medical field could take a medical terminology test and show the employer they're knowledgeable, he explained.