Executive Summary - Demographic Overview
This section reports on the state of workforce demographics and its effect on organizations ability to recruit and retain a skilled workforce. AREAS OF CONTINUED FOCUS
Oklahoma Jobs Oklahoma’s jobless rates have declined over the past year in most counties. In September 2024, compared to the previous year, unemployment rates decreased in 47 Oklahoma counties, increased in 20, and remained unchanged in 10. (Oklahoma.gov)
Employment vs. Unemployment
Highest Unemployment Rates
Haskell County: 5.6% McIntosh County: 5.5% Latimer County: 5%
Lowest Unemployment Rates
Dewey County: 1.8% Texas County: 2.1% Woods County: 2.1%
Oklahoma seasonally adjusted unemployment rate and change from previous month's total nonfarm employment.
Labor Participation Opportunities Opportunities to increase labor force participation in Oklahoma exist across various age groups. Participation is strong among those aged 20- 54. For older workers (55+), participation rates decline significantly. Expanding flexible work options, phased retirement programs, and reskilling initiatives could encourage continued workforce involvement from this group. With a large population aged 65-74 and only 25.9% participating, leveraging part-time work, consulting roles, and age- friendly workplace policies could further boost labor force engagement. (U.S. Census.gov)
Brain Drain Despite Oklahoma’s population growth employers still struggle to find professionals with specialized degrees, as highlighted in the WorkTrends survey. This suggests a brain drain or a mismatch between industry needs and incoming talent. While many new residents are employed and contributing to the workforce, their skills may not align with high-demand professional roles. Additionally, with only 9.1% of workers remote, migration alone isn’t solving the talent gap. To address this, Oklahoma could strengthen workforce training, enhance job incentives, and implement target recruitment strategies to attract and retain specialized professionals. (Farha, 2024)
Note: The sample is limited to those age 25+ who reported educational attainment. Cumulative change is relative to 2000.Source: ACS 1-year estimates/IPUMS USA, University of Minnesota, www.ipums.org, authors’ calculations 013
Powered by FlippingBook