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: Diverse manufacturing has kept Salem’s economy strong
For decades, no one private sector has dominated the economy in Marion County. That's made it easier for the region to weather economic downturns, columnist Pamela Ferrara writes.
COLUMN: Salem ahead of Oregon in pandemic economic recovery
Salem leads western Oregon in job recovery since the pandemic, thanks to a diversified economy and the stability of state government, columnist Pamela Ferrara writes.
COLUMN: What Oregon’s declining population means for workers
The Mid-Valley region will need about 28,530 workers over the next decade. Declining population could make that a challenge, writes columnist Pamela Ferrara.
COLUMN: A closer look at food inflation
Columnist Pamela Ferrara looks at why food prices rose so much over the past two years, and what might be ahead for Salem shoppers.
COLUMN: Local government grows, but population grows much faster in Salem
Over the past two decades, the Salem area's population has grown 24%. Paying for employees to keep up with growth is a challenge, columnist Pamela Ferrara writes.
COLUMN: More job training needed to raise Oregon workforce participation
The share of Oregonians either working or looking for work is back to pre-pandemic levels, but remains low. Columnist Pamela Ferrara breaks down what the numbers mean.
COLUMN: Why people with criminal histories struggle to find jobs in Oregon
Columnist Pamela Ferrara examines the demographics of Oregon's prison population, and the challenges that keep people unemployed after release.
COLUMN: The pandemic’s lingering effects on the Salem economy
Transportation and warehouse jobs are down from a pandemic high, while other sectors have seen jobs largely recovery, writes columnist Pamela Ferrara.
COLUMN: Why health care providers in Salem still struggle to hire
High stress levels, low pay and higher rates of illness from Covid have contributed to hiring challenges in crucial health care fields, columnist Pamela Ferrara writes.
COLUMN: Salem is adding jobs, but unemployment is rising. Why?
Columnist Pamela Ferrara explains how two different surveys are used to give a snapshot of the Salem economy and available jobs.