OTTUMWA, IOWA -- Iowa’s unemployment numbers for January 2012 have been released.

The state’s average has gradually decreased over the past few months. December’s average was 5.6 percent and January’s average was 5.4 percent.

However, it is a different story for Wapello County. Ottumwa’s unemployment average raised half a percent from December to January at 7.8 percent.

“I know that we are working with some local companies here right now that are looking at expanding their workforce. We’re also working at some other opportunities to bring some companies in that I think will expand the workforce,” says David Barajas, executive director at OEDC.

Barajas stressed that it’s important to focus on local, already established companies because 80 to 85 percent of new jobs that come into a community come from these.

“There are a lot of people that are looking, a lot of areas that are looking for some type of job. So we have to what we can do to show we’re being very progressive and very proactive in order to have the best chance at attracting those types of jobs,” said Barajas.

Barajas is hopeful that Wapello County and Ottumwa’s unemployment will decrease in the next couple of years.