The Oregon Employment Department recently published two articles focused on Oregon’s economy, with special focus on the construction industry. For those of you who have some free time over the weekend and an interest in the recent history of construction economics in the state, read “Construction Last Out of Recession” by workforce analyst Kim Thompson. She explains in great detail what led to “construction [losing] a greater percentage of employment in the recession than any other industry in Oregon.”
For those more interested in looking forward, Charles Johnson, senior economic analyst, uses Oregon Employment Department data to make industry employment projections 10 years into the future in his article, “Oregon Employment Expected to Grow 18 Percent in 10 Years.” As the titles of these two articles make clear, Johnson’s piece offers a more optimistic perspective on employment in the state. However, the articles together are a valuable resource for anyone hoping to understand the current state of construction employment in Oregon.
