(WHAS11) - As the holidays fast approach, the number of people looking for jobs could climb higher in Kentuckiana.
Our unemployment rate is now greater than the national average.
People packed the unemployment office at 6th Street in Louisville.
Kentucky's unemployment rate is now 10.9%, beating the national average at 10.2%.
Experts say employers are very selective and are hiring more highly skilled workers these days.
Some industries like healthcare and social services are experiencing growth.
One man was laid off last month after his company was downsized and he hunts for jobs almost every day.
Luther Barney is a veteran of the Air Force who is looking for employment.
“I've got a lot of good jobs out of the unemployment office. You don't give up on this system.
You have to do your work. You have to work," says Barney.
"What that means is in our market we're talking 63,000 people actively looking for work who don't have a job," says KentuckianaWorks Executive Director Michael Gritton.
More people are now going back to school or getting job training to start a new career.
For more info on free federal money and opportunities call KentuckianaWorks at 1-877-639-7559.
