Merced County workforce board reports jobs growth, flags federal funding and labor-market risks

Merced County Workforce Development Board Director Eric Serrato presented the board’s annual report to the Merced County Board of Supervisors, describing recent job growth alongside persistent unemployment and possible funding threats.

Serrato told the board, "We are a county of about 300,000 residents, but more importantly for me, 124,000 workers," and summarized trends in sector growth, unemployment and program outcomes that underlie the board’s priorities.

The report matters because Merced County’s economy depends heavily on a small labor pool, seasonal agricultural work and public-sector employers; shifts in state or federal funding and national trade or technology trends could disproportionately affect local workers.

Serrato said the county’s unemployment rate sat at 11.3% and noted long-term seasonality: "our unemployment rate is always the highest in February and the lowest in September." He highlighted recent sector shifts: overall jobs grew 3.9% in the past year; manufacturing expanded 13.1% and agriculture grew 6.2%, while transportation and warehousing…