Oregon added more jobs in construction than any other sector in June 2022 (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)
Oregon continued to see an upward trend in employment growth, adding 8,700 jobs in the month of June.
The state has averaged gains of 6,200 jobs in the prior seven months, according to data released Tuesday by the Oregon Employment Department.
The positions ranged in industries from construction to hospitality and health care.
Construction saw the most jobs added at 2,800 in June. According to the department, construction has continued to grow over the last 12 months reaching a record of 118,700 jobs in June. Since June 2021, the field has added 8,700 jobs.
Government was the only major industry to lose a substantial number of jobs, according to the department’s news release, with 600 lost in June.
Overall, Oregon has regained 94% of the jobs lost since the beginning of the pandemic which mirrors the national trend with the U.S. overall regaining 98% of lost jobs.
Oregon’s private sector has regained 98% of pandemic recession losses, according to the release.
The leisure and hospitality industry has added 28,500 jobs since June 2021 with 1,300 of those coming in June of this year.
“Despite these gains,” the statement from the department read, “leisure and hospitality still accounts for a large share of the jobs Oregon has not recovered since early 2020 with 14,600 jobs left to recover to reach the prior peak month of February 2020.”
Oregon’s unemployment rate held fairly steady between May and June going from 3.5% to 3.6% which matches the U.S. unemployment rate from March, April, May and June.
-Caitlyn May
