Oil & Gas jobs up 9.5% year over year

Petroleum News

May employment figures for the state, released by the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development June 21, show May jobs up 2.9% from May 2023, with oil and gas jobs up 9.5% over that same period.

Nonfarm state employment -- private and government combined -- averaged 339,100 in May, up 10,100 from 329,000 in April, and up 9,300, 2.8% from May 2023, when the average of 329,800.

Percentagewise, the oil and gas industry fared better, averaging 8,100 this May -- unchanged from April -- but up by 700, 9.5%, from 7,400 in May 2023.

The department said the largest increase was in construction, which added 2,500 jobs year over year, averaging 19,800 this May, up 14.5% from 17,300 in May 2023. Oil and gas had the second largest increase by percentage, although other, larger labor groups had bigger increases by number: education and health, and health care, both up 1,700 year over year; professional and business services, up 1,100; and mining and logging and trade, transportation and utilities, both increasing by 1,000.

--Petroleum News