Portland medical jobs and healthcare positions throughout the State of Oregon will account for the majority of employment growth through 2018.
The Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton area’s education and health services industry employed 137,100 workers during October, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 134,100 workers during September and a .6 percent increase from last year.
According to the Oregon Employment Department, the state as a whole is expected to add more than 160,000 jobs between 2008 and 2018, accounting for an increase of 9 percent. This is similar to the 165,000 jobs, or 10 percent, growth seen during the previous decade.
The Portland area and the Willamette Valley will add the majority of jobs through 2018, with the highest levels of job growth expected in the central and southern regions of the state and the lowest levels of job growth expected in the northeast region.
Statewide, the education and health services industry should add about 50,000 jobs, which is the highest expected growth for any industry, with private education and health services employment to increase by 23 percent. Healthcare will account for most of the new jobs, mainly because of Oregon’s aging population, as the number of those 65-years and older could grow by 45 percent through 2018.
The professional and business services industry is expected to add 27,600 jobs, an increase of 14 percent, with industry growth driven by growth in the state’s economy and more firms hiring other businesses to provide support activities.
The leisure and hospitality industry should add 21,500 jobs, an increase of 12 percent. Food services and drinking places, the largest sector in the industry, are expected to grow as the population increases, adding 15,700 jobs, while the arts, entertainment and recreation sector will add 3,200 jobs.
The trade, transportation and utilities industry – the largest industry in Oregon – is expected to add 30,900 jobs, the second-highest amount of any industry. The retail trade sector will add about 20,000 jobs.
The government industry should add 25,000 jobs, an increase of 8 percent. Throughout Oregon, federal government will see a decrease in employment, mainly because of U.S. Postal Service job cuts and the cleanup of the U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency. At the same time, tribal employment will grow by 14 percent as casinos expand.
The construction and information industries will grow at a slow pace and add few jobs. After losing thousands of jobs during the recession, construction is expected to return to its share of about 5 percent of total employment. For the information industry, losses in the traditional print industries will offset job gains in software publishing and data hosting services.
The manufacturing industry is expected to rebound during the 10-year period, but will not return to its pre-recession employment level, and is the only industry expected to lose jobs through 2018.
To compile the report, the labor department examined historical trends and other forecasts to help project state employment changes during the 10-year period. The forecasts are meant to be used in conjunction with occupational reports to help students decide on careers, schools decide on training programs, businesses decide on strategic plans and governments decide on budgets and services.
Tags: Portland medical jobs
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