Pamela Ferrara - Special to the Salem Reporter
Pamela Ferrara is a part-time research associate with the Willamette Workforce Partnership, the area’s local workforce board. Ferrara has worked in research at the Oregon Employment Department, earned a Master’s in Labor Economics, and speaks fluent Spanish.
COLUMN: Salem-area work centers see more job seekers
Salem is faring better than other Oregon cities in job growth, but economic uncertainty remains the order of the day, writes columnist Pamela Ferrara.
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COLUMN: Job growth slows, but Salem fares better than Portland, Eugene
Salem has seen steady job growth from pre-pandemic levels, but local unemployment is ticking up, writes columnist Pamela Ferrara.
COLUMN: What unemployment numbers tell us about Salem’s economy
COLUMN: When unemployment rates are low, job seekers are more likely to have barriers to becoming employed. These may include lack of education, lack of work experience or job skills, and problems with transportation, child care, housing, and having been incarcerated.
COLUMN: Construction jobs expected to grow in Salem, while manufacturing declines
Construction employment fluctuates with the economy, but is on an upward trend, writes columnist Pamela Ferrara. Manufacturing jobs for both food and durable goods has fallen steadily for decades.
COLUMN: Health care employment growing slowly in Salem, despite high need
Columnist Pamela Ferrara explains what employment data and projections show about Salem's workforce as the region sees a growing need for health care employees.
COLUMN: Unemployment low in Salem, but wage growth mixed
Despite wage increases, the leisure and hospitality industry hasn't added many jobs in recent years compared to other sectors of Salem's economy.
COLUMN: With food prices climbing, not all are feeling the impact of rising wages
COLUMN: Economic signs are improving but those on the lower wage scale still aren't feeling optimistic. What the numbers show about why that may be.
COLUMN: Hiring challenges remain for law enforcement in Salem area
While hiring challenges have eased for many employers, columnist Pamela Ferrara explains local police agencies are still seeing lower applicant numbers and beefing up recruiting efforts.
COLUMN: Better data on gig workers needed to inform policy
Data on gig workers varies wildly, but Salem has tens of thousands of people working jobs like food delivery or running errands, columnist Pamela Ferrara writes.
COLUMN: What Salem’s unemployment rate really means
Columnist Pamela Ferrara explains how a key piece of local economic data - the unemployment rate - is calculated.