OESC Report: Energy Sector Down Nearly 10,000 Jobs Since June 2015

 

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The most recent jobless figures released by the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission reveal a continuation of job losses among energy-related sectors during the past year. The State’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose 0.1 percentage point to reach 4.8 percent for June as the energy sector, defined in the Mining, Logging and Construction industry per state classifications, showed a loss of 9,900 jobs from June 2015 to June 2016. That’s a drop of 18.4 percent from year to year. Just from May to June of this year, the loss has been 800 jobs or a drop of 1.8 percent.

The state’s energy sector went from 53,800 jobs in June 2015 to 43,900 jobs in June of this year, reflecting a loss of almost 10,000 jobs. In May 2016, the sector had 44,700 workers.

Manufacturing reported the largest decline in jobs over the year, down by nearly 12,000 jobs since June 2015. From May to June 2016, the manufacturing sector lost 1,200 workers in Oklahoma.

The overall government numbers grew by 2,300 from June 2015 to June 2016 in the state which represented growth of 0.7 percent. Although the state didn’t lose any jobs from May to June of this year, the OESC report takes into account the 200 state jobs that were cut in February as the state dealt with the budget crisis.

The breakdown shows the federal employment in Oklahoma grew by 1,100 from June 2015 to June of this year, making a total of 47,900 federal employees in the state.

State government employment remained flat but trimmed 200 jobs since last June’s figure of 85,500 moving to 85,300 this year.

Local governments added 1,400 workers in the past year, moving from 218,800 in June 2015 to 220,200 in June of this year.