Unemployment Rates Decrease

Summertime Trend or Permanent Solution?

According to Worksource Oregon Labor Market quick stats, Oregon’s job market has continued to show upward growth as the unemployment rate continues to drop. Although not yet reaching the low percentages of pre-recession (5.2% in Jan 2008), the state currently sits at 6.8% unemployment. Oregon continues to follow the nationwide trend of consecutive drops in unemployment levels. Is seasonal employment the driving force behind the lowered numbers? With agriculture seeing a rise in jobs during the summer and into the harvest months and the routine increases to construction in summer months, it could simply be a matter of timing and not a permanent reflection of the workforce trend. Many experts weigh in on where our economy is heading and what unemployment means for the overall condition of the economy.

How does this fit with those experts and even our own President, Rich Duncan, who stresses the importance of heading off the workforce gap that is looming over us? As a baby-boomer generation preps itself to enjoy retirement, what happens to those high-level, full-of-experience employees? Are their skills being utilized to teach the newest generation, helping to close this gap affecting the trades and construction industries? Do these companies have an “exit-strategy” that will ensure the continuation of highly skilled employees from the younger generations? As a member of the Small Business Wall Street Journal The Experts forum, Rich Duncan offers his thoughts on how this gap can affect our workforce.

What are YOUR opinions and thoughts about unemployment, the make up of the future workforce and how all of this affects our economy? Let’s discuss–leave your comments below!

Sources:

Unemployment Rates for Oregon & United States: Description of Chart Data, Worksource

Oregon Job Growth by Industry: Worksource OLMIS