Thousands of jobs have been created by Hurricane Andrew as the relief, cleanup and rebuilding efforts in Dade County become organized.
The new jobs are finding a large block of newly unemployed victims of Andrew who in many cases lost their jobs as well as their homes.Construction companies are looking for laborers, and tree-trimming firms are adding workers. White collar computer operators and people with clerical skills are needed by insurance companies struggling to process piles of paperwork and other firms trying to reopen after the storm.
There is concern among labor analysts whether the newly unemployed, who consist mostly of service industry and officer workers, will have the skills to perform the new jobs. It's expected in the end unemployment, already at 10 percent in Dade County, will remain a big problem in South Florida.
The Florida Dislocated Workers Assistance Center in Miami posted 650 new jobs Monday and several hundred more on Tuesday. More than 500 openings were slated for posting Wednesday. On Saturday the center interviewed 300 people and filled 200 jobs for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The jobs paid between $6 and $8 per hour.
"Unfortunately it took a hurricane to produce this," said B.J. Rakow, center director.