The city of Harrisonburg currently has its highest unemployment rate in three years. Labor data for the month of May was released Wednesday.

Harrisonburg's unemployment rate stands at 4.1 percent, which is up 0.8 from April's rate of 3.3 percent. That is also more than one percentage point higher than the 2.9 percent in May 2007.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, it's the first time Harrisonburg has had an unemployment rate above four percent since June 2005. However, not all the unemployment news is grim.

With the start of the new fiscal year on Tuesday, funding is now available to help unemployed people get training for new jobs.

A Page County woman recently completed her Associates Degree in accounting with help from the Workforce Investment Board after an unexpected layoff.

"I started working at Wrangler, [as] a junior in high school," says Christina Mauck, who worked in the factory for 15 years before losing her job.

Mauck has since secured a position as an accounting clerk at Aramark in Luray.

"It was a shock when they came in and told us that the factory was closing down," says Mauck.

A wife and mother of two, she grew tired of the physically demanding factory work and was able to take classes through Lord Fairfax Community College, which has an office in Luray. She even got a grant to help pay for the gas to get there.

"The whole way through school they assisted us," says Mauck. "If I had any questions, any problems, [there] was someone I could call and talk to them. And, they would help me get through it and show me the steps to take."

The board's executive director, Bob Satterwhite, says the first priority is to get people in jobs. However, when their skills don't match the market, they can apply for assistance.

"Training funds are always limited," says Satterwhite. "We don't receive enough training funds to even last the entire year."

Funds for these programs usually run out in the spring. Some programs only require about a week or two of classes. They sometimes can also help people, such as Mauck who is seeking a spark in their careers.

"I think I'm in a better mood and enjoy life more," she says.

The first step for anyone seeking this kind of help is to stop by a branch of the Virginia Employment Commission. They can assess what job skills you have and see if you need further training for the job market.