Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Tamika Ledbetter said she is bullish on Alaska’s job situation. She cited economic indicators favoring the state’s situation during a press briefing on Tuesday night.
Dr. Ledbetter was quick to remind Alaskans that despite raw job numbers looking sour, she is optimistic: “Things are finally starting to pick up. Overall, jobs are down significantly compared to this time last year. However, there was a large jump in new jobs from April to May of this year. In that short time-frame, we’ve added 15,700 jobs, bringing Alaska’s total employment base to just under 294,000 jobs. We are still significantly down, by about 40,000 jobs compared to May of 2019, but it is important to recognize that the economy is beginning to move in the right direction.”
The Commissioner noted Alaska’s improving job situations immediately prior to the COVID-19 pandemic: “In February, before the pandemic hit, Alaska experienced the lowest unemployment rate in the history of our state. Month-over-month, we saw widespread growth in private sector. Employment had fallen in the government sector, but oil, gas, health care, construction – all of these industries added hundreds of jobs. Now, I don’t need to remind Alaskans of what happened next: COVID-19 disrupted businesses. Indivual Alaskans all across the state were affected in dramatic ways.”
She advised Alaskans impacted economically by COVID-19 to pursue help from the Alaska Job Centers network, as it offers a number of tools for residents to seek assistance. Dr. Ledbetter even said that many Alaskans may be surprised to see how robust the system is.
The Commissioner concluded by saying that the situation may appear dire, but that the Governor’s administration sees hope on the horizon: “Let’s be clear: there’s no way to sugar coat the reality of a cancelled tourism season, but I do want to offer some hope. Our Governor and each Commissioner is doing everything possible to ensure that Alaskans get through the pandemic safely, and that our economy is returned to the place of prosperity, sustainability, and economic growth.”
