California Employment Development Department

If projections are correct, the civilian federal government work force in Orange County will have grown 8% in the four years from 1988 to 1992. While there were almost 16,000 such workers in the county in 1988, it is estimated this total will grow to slightly more than 17,000 by next year. Here's how the total has increased. In thousands 1988: 15,900 1989: 16,200 1990: 16,800 1992*: 17,200 * Projected Source: California Employment Development Department

Orange County's unemployment rate in May remained among the lowest in the state at 3.1%, according to the state Employment Development Department. The jobless rate was slightly lower in April at 3% and slightly higher a year ago, when 3.3% of the working population was unemployed. Total jobs in the county rose slightly to 1.17 million, compared to 1.16 million in April.

Conejo Valley Adult Education will hold a job fair Wednesday at its Thousand Oaks campus. The event will include two seminars sponsored by the California Employment Development Department, offering one-on-one resume preparation instruction and interviewing techniques. Recruiters will be looking to fill positions at local companies, including Blue Cross/Wellpoint, Sears, Home Depot, State Farm Insurance, Hyatt Westlake and Kinko's. The fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Union Percentage Civilian Percentage Year Members Change Labor Force Change 1987 149,800 6.8 1,319,000 -0.7 1985 140,200 12.2 1,328,600 8.0 1983 125,000 -5.5 1,230,000 13.3 1981 132,300 19.6 1,085,800 5.4 1979 110,600 -- 1,030,500 -- Source: California Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Labor Research & Statistics; California Employment Development Department

Target Stores will sponsor a two-day job fair to screen applicants for 200 part-time jobs that will be available when a new store opens March 13. The job fair will be held Friday and Saturday at the site of the new Target at 777 E. Colorado Blvd., the site of the old Robinson's department store. Applicants will be screened by representatives from the California Employment Development Department both days from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with preliminary interviews to be scheduled the following week.

A job fair sponsored by the Veterans' Employment Committee of Orange County will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Garden Grove Community Center, 11300 Stanford Ave. There will be no charge to job-seekers, who are asked to bring resumes. Representatives of local and national companies will be on hand. The Veterans' Employment Committee of Orange County is an advisory group to the California Employment Development Department.

California Employment Development Department offices in Ventura County are placing special emphasis on finding jobs for veterans during May, Veteran Appreciation Month. "Some veterans have encountered difficulty in securing employment," said Janet Yamanaka, manager of the Simi Valley EDD office.

California's economic recovery continued to outpace the nation's in March as its unemployment rate fell to 9.4%, the lowest in more than four years for the Golden State. The state increased its payrolls by 25,500 jobs and pushed down the jobless rate from 9.6% in February, according to data released Friday by the state Employment Development Department. But the economic picture was not all rosy. Although jobs were added because of a rising housing market and continued consumer spending, 14,900 people dropped out of the workforce, mirroring a national trend of job seekers who become discouraged and give up looking for work.