Alaska jobs count up in July, but not oil and gas job numbers

Kristen Nelson

Petroleum News

Alaska’s July job count was up 5.8% year-over-year, the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development said Aug. 20, an increase of 17,700 jobs.

The 325,300 nonfarm jobs were still 30,100 fewer than the July 2019 count of 355,400.

While the statewide job count gained, there was no change in the number of oil and gas jobs, 6,800, the same as the June count, down 800, 7%, from a July 2020 count of 11,400, and down 3,100 from a July 2019 count of 13,700.

Alaska oil and gas employment peaked at 14,800 in 2014.

The industries which saw the largest employment gain were those hardest hit last year, although the department said few industries reached their pre-pandemic levels. Leisure and hospitality jobs were up 5,100 over last July, but still 10,800 below July 2019. Trade, transportation and utilities gained 5,200 jobs year-over-year, but that count was still 6,000 below 2019.

Labor said the local government job count was up 600, but still 2,900 lower than July 2019, while state government employment was up 100 from July 2020, but still down 1,100 from 2019. Federal employment was higher by 400 over 2020 and by 700 over 2019.

Alaska’s seasonably adjusted unemployment rate remained 6.6% in July, compared to the U.S. rate, which fell from 5.9% to 5.4%.

- KRISTEN NELSON