While Oklahoma’s latest unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.3 percent in May, new figures from the state indicated a growth in jobs in Oklahoma’s energy sector for the year but not the month.
The jobless rate has remained at 4.3 percent since March as the state’s labor force dwindled in the same time period. The force was 1,836,595 in March, 1,835,764 in April and reached 1,830,935 in May, according to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission.
In those three months, the number of unemployed went from 79,720 in March to 78,982 in May.
The Mining and Logging sector, which applies to those working in the energy sector say an increase of 2,300 workers since May of last year when 44,400 were employed. However, employment in May 2017 totaled 46,700, down 200 workers from April.
The loss of 200 workers represented a decline of 0.4 percent. However, the increase of 2,300 workers from May 2016 to May 2017 reflected an increase of 5.2 percent. The increase was one of the largest of all sectors with the exception of the 6.5 percent shown in Arts, Entertainment and Recreation which added 1,700 workers.
But the largest increase in terms of actual workers was seen in Education and Health Services which increased 3,400 over the year.