Berkshire County\u2019s unemployment rate climbed to 4 percent in September, the highest level the region has seen in four years.<\/p>\n
But even as unemployment rises, the labor market remains tight. Local employers are grappling with skill shortages, AI-driven hiring changes and evolving worker expectations \u2014 trends reflected across the U.S. as job growth slows and companies become more cautious.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have had some layoffs in the area, but we are not seeing a big uptick in candidates coming in the door looking for work, so that\u2019s kind of interesting,\u201d said Guin Griswold, director of employment services at Molari Employment and Healthcare Services in Pittsfield.<\/p>\n
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Maricelli Serrano of MassHire meets job applicants at a job fair in 2019. The MassHire Berkshire Career Center is a partnership between the Berkshire Training & Employment Program and the Massachusetts Division of Career Services.<\/p>\n
THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE<\/p>\n
National job growth has also slowed in recent months. Federal data showed job losses in October followed by modest gains in November, pushing the national unemployment rate\u00a0to 4.6 percent \u2014 its highest level since 2021.<\/p>\n
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Tariffs, increases in wages and the impact of AI have stalled hiring momentum as companies like Amazon, Verizon, UPS and General Motors have announced job cuts.<\/p>\n After 5 percent growth from 2019 to 2024, job growth slowed in 2025, said Heather Boulger, executive director of the MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board, a local organization that helps people find jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n BY THE NUMBERS<\/p>\n In September, 63,812 people were in the Berkshire County labor force, with 61,260 employed and 2,552 collecting unemployment insurance, according to data provided by Boulger. The total number of Americans filing for jobless benefits for the week ending Dec. 13 rose to 1.92 million, according to ABC News.<\/p>\n The 4 percent unemployment rate in the Berkshires was close to the Massachusetts rate of 4.7 percent, and in September 2024, the county’s unemployment rate was 3.4 percent.<\/p>\n The last time Berkshire County’s unemployment rate was over 4 percent was in 2021 (4.9 percent), and the highest this decade was 9.4 percent in 2020.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s pretty comparable, and anything under 5 percent unemployment is considered full employment, which means that there are job opportunities for people who are looking, and it\u2019s still keeping the economy going,\u201d Boulger said.<\/p>\n Some level of unemployment is natural, Boulger said, adding that \u201ca small amount of unemployment allows companies to hire and prevents labor shortages.\u201d Boulger, who has been working in the field for almost 35 years, said that the workforce goes through ebbs and flows.<\/p>\n She added that Massachusetts has stable labor participation and fairly strong economic conditions, but did cite recent job losses in retail, manufacturing and food service sectors.<\/p>\n Guin Griswold, director of employment services at Molari Employment and Healthcare Services in Pittsfield, said that while AI is changing the hiring process, it is not yet being used locally to substitute for actual workers.<\/p>\n STEPHANIE ZOLLSHAN \u2014 THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE<\/p>\n Griswold said that she has seen a slowdown in the job market and that some people are passively looking for work\u00a0\u2014 meaning they are currently employed and not necessarily\u00a0applying for jobs, but are keeping an eye out for a better fit or their next opportunity. She added that toward the end of the year, a lot of people get hired for companies they were temping at, as companies want to meet certain numbers by the end of the year.<\/p>\n HIRING PRESSURES<\/p>\n Boulger said the pandemic reset the economy at all levels, impacting every industry and changing workforce dynamics. In the past five years, the Berkshires have lost about 2,000 people in the labor force, she said, adding that many job seekers want more virtual or remote opportunities.<\/p>\n \u201cI think job seekers have a different expectation than they did five years ago,\u201d Boulger said.<\/p>\n Boulger said that challenges facing the workforce include job growth, AI integration, skill gaps, worker well-being and workplace culture. A population decrease has also impacted the workforce as 22- to 45-year-olds are migrating out of the region.<\/p>\n There are more than 3,000 jobs currently open in the area, Boulger said, adding that businesses are struggling to find skilled workers. The MassHire Career Center and Workforce Board are working to develop training programs and career pathways to get people the skills they need to fill those gaps.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Echoing the Berkshire\u2019s community spirit for 41 years<\/a><\/p>\n Artificial intelligence has also changed the hiring process in the region. Boulger said that most candidates are adapting to get noticed in the initial job screening process, and MassHire is helping people prepare their resumes.<\/p>\n \u201cIt seems like a very impersonal process,\u201d she said. \u201cA lot of our employers are still using AI to help prescreen candidates.”<\/p>\n LOOKING AHEAD<\/p>\n In the Berkshires, the largest and fastest-growing employer is health care and social assistance, Boulger said. She also highlighted educational services, retail trade, accommodations, manufacturing and the food service industry.<\/p>\n Molari Employment and Healthcare Services office in Pittsfield\u00a0works to recruit home health care providers and connect them with clients.\u00a0<\/p>\n STEPHANIE ZOLLSHAN \u2014 THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE<\/p>\n Griswold said that direct care workers are always in demand, something she deals with firsthand with Molari\u2019s home care agency and its clients.<\/p>\n \u201cWe could bring [10 direct care workers] in tomorrow, and we\u2019d have them all placed by next week,\u201d she said of the agency that has been in business since 1983\u00a0staffing and recruiting home health care providers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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