August jobs in state up year over year

Kristen Nelson

Petroleum News

Alaska nonfarm employment in August averaged 355,300, up 1.8%, 6,400, from August 2023, the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development said Sept. 20. Private sector jobs averaged 279,700, up 5,700, 2.1%, from August 2023, while government jobs averaged 75,600, up 700, 0.9%.

"Federally funded infrastructure projects and North Slope oil and gas projects contributed to over-the-year growth, boosting construction by 2,600 jobs, professional and business services by 1,000, and the transportation, warehousing and utilities sector by 500. Oil and gas also added 500 jobs," the department said.

Oil and gas sector jobs averaged 8,200 in August, up from 7,700 in August 2023, and up by 100 from 8,100 jobs in July.

Following construction, the largest job increase was 2,000 year-over-year in health care, which averaged 42,500 jobs in August, up from 40,500 a year ago, and up from 42,300 in July.

The department said strong visitor numbers resulted in growth in leisure and hospitality, averaging 44,000, up 100 from 43,900 in August 2023, and retail stability, which averaged 6,500 jobs, unchanged year-over-year, while contributing to gains in transportation, warehousing and utilities, which averaged 27,200, up 500 from August 2023.

Disruptions in seafood processing drove losses of 1,300 in manufacturing, which averaged 17,500 in August, down from 18,800 in August 2023.

While state government employment remained flat at 22,500, federal government jobs were up 500, 3.2%, to 16,200 from 15,700 a year ago, and local jobs were up by 200, 0.5%, averaging 36,900 jobs in August compared to 36,700 in August 2023.

--KRISTEN NELSON