Economic Recovery: Accommodations and Food Service Industries (updated monthly)
Job growth in Portland Metro was steady throughout summer of 2021. By August, concern over the COVID-19 Delta Variant caused employment to plateau.
While employment has not reached the pre-pandemic peak, Portland Metro added 16,400 jobs between June 2020 and June 2021. The September 2021 unemployment rate is the lowest it’s been in the past seventeen months. // Read more
Portland Metro Experiences Smaller Share of COVID-19 Job Losses than Rest of Oregon
In the first two weeks after Governor Brown issues a stay at home order in Oregon, there has been a sharp increase in the number of initial unemployment claims. The impact is not evenly spread across the state. While Portland Metro was home to 42% of Oregon’s jobs in 2019, it has seen just 36% of total UI claims. The disparity varies by sector. // Read more
Working from Home: An Analysis of Telecommuting
In response to the outbreak of COVID-19, Portland Metro has seen an increase in telecommuting. Policymakers, public health officials, and employers began asking workers to work from home as part of social distancing in mid-March. On March 23rd, Governor Brown ordered all non-essential workers to stay home. With schools and daycare centers closed, many workers have increased caregiving needs keeping them home. Others are caring for sick family members. // Read more
State of the Workforce Report, 2018
Worksystems, in partnership with Workforce Southwest Washington and Clackamas Workforce Partnership, has published and released a comprehensive State of the Workforce report covering the greater Portland-Vancouver area. This report provides critical information about the quality of the workforce, available and projected jobs, and describes some of the challenges and opportunities facing our region. // Read more
Construction Labor Market Report, 2018
This industry report examines the workforce data, characteristics and trends that define the Construction sector within the Greater Portland-Vancouver area. With over 70,000 jobs and a payroll of $3.9 billion, Construction accounts for over 5 percent of the greater Portland region's private-sector employment and 6 percent of total payroll. The Construction sector contributed approximately $6.8 billion to the metro area's Gross Domestic Product in 2017. // Read more
Technology Labor Market Report, 2018
This industry report examines the workforce data, characteristics and trends that define the Technology sector within the Greater Portland-Vancouver Area. Information Technology occupations exist within and across every sector and the industry is a significant contributor to the advancement, stability and vitality of the local economy. High projected growth provides ample employment opportunities and high wages contribute to the prosperity of the region's population. // Read more
Healthcare Labor Market Report, 2018
This report examines the workforce data, characteristics and trends that define the Healthcare sector within the Greater Portland-Vancouver Area. Healthcare is the region's largest and one of the fastest growing industry sectors and provides a variety of career options for the region's population. // Read more