PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There are common stereotypes of the employment situation in Berkshire County — including some contradictory perceptions.

One version is that there are many available jobs, but employers have a hard time finding workers to fill them. On the other hand, we also hear that Berkshire County does not have enough good jobs, and people have to move elsewhere because of poor job prospects here.

Another related belief is that the population of Berkshire County is aging and declining because younger people leave or avoid coming here.

A familiar long-term narrative is that Berkshire County once had a strong economy and many manufacturing jobs with large employers such as GE and Sprague.

But then, a period of steep decline began in the 1970s, when these major employers closed or moved to other regions or overseas. According to the gloomiest version of this, the county’s economy was hollowed out by that period, and it has not recovered.

However the reality is far more complex and positive than that, according to experts involved in economic development and employment.

Despite continuing challenges, they say, the county has rebounded over time.

While the process of finding and preparing for a career is not as straightforward as it once was, there are plentiful jobs and career options in the region.

The full article is available on iBerkshires.