May employment was 2.9% above May 2021 numbers, an increase of 8,900 jobs but still 15,300 below the same month in 2019, the year before the COVID-19 pandemic began, according to recent numbers from the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
The leisure and hospitality sector of the state’s economy had 3,800 more jobs than last May but 4,100 less than May 2019. The transportation, warehousing and utilities sector was up 1,400 jobs over the year and down 2,200 from 2019. Oil and gas had 7,200 total jobs — 600 above year-ago levels and 2,500 below 2019.
Local government was up by 800 jobs over the year but down 2,100 from April 2019, mostly in public education. State government employment fell 600 below last year’s level and 1,200 short of 2019. Most public schools and university campuses held in person activities this school year after a remote 2020-2021, resulting in higher employment, however total state government employment fell over the year with the phase-out of temporary pandemic-related positions. Federal employment was up 300 over the year and 500 jobs above 2019.
Alaska’s seasonally adjusted unemployment dropped to 4.7% in May, down from 4.8% in April. The Kenai Peninsula Borough’s unemployment rate is 4.9%, down from 5.7% from April, and down from 7.6% last May. The U.S. unemployment rate remained at 3.6%.