Oregon job survey: 41,000 vacancies reflect strong economy

Oregon businesses reported 41,300 job vacancies this winter, the state Employment Department said Wednesday, marking the first time job vacancies have exceeded 40,000 in winter and reflecting “the rapid pace of job growth in the state.”

Here’s the full announcement:

Health care and social assistance topped all industries, with 9,400 vacancies in the winter. Leisure and hospitality (6,600) and retail trade (4,800) also reported large totals. Together these three industries accounted for half of all vacancies.

Although a few large industries accounted for many vacancies, businesses across the economy were hiring for diverse jobs. Seven different industries reported at least 2,000 vacancies this winter.

Occupations with the most vacancies ranged from retail salespersons and cashiers to personal care aides and nursing assistants, cooks, carpenters, maintenance and repair workers, and truck drivers.

As job growth has accelerated and the number of job openings remains high, employers face increasing difficulty finding the workers they need. Oregon businesses reported 60 percent of job vacancies as difficult to fill this winter, compared with 49 percent one year earlier.

Employers most commonly report a lack of applicants as the primary challenge filling vacancies. This winter, several health care employers cited a lack of applicants due to high demand and industry competition for workers.

A lack of applicants has become a more prominent challenge for businesses in recent years.

The Employment Department’s newly released report, “Increasing Difficulty Filling Vacancies in Oregon’s Labor Market” details the characteristics of difficult-to-fill vacancies, and possible options to reduce business challenges filling these job openings.

For more details on recent Oregon job vacancies, visit the “publications” tab on QualityInfo.org and scroll down to the “Job Vacancy Survey” section.

About the Survey

The Oregon Employment Department’s Job Vacancy Survey serves as a current indicator of hiring demand and focuses specifically on characteristics of vacancies for anyone seeking a job in Oregon. In addition to developing the estimate of total vacancies in the state, the survey also provides insights on the industries hiring, wages offered, and education required. In recent years, the survey has also asked businesses whether their vacancies are difficult to fill.

Survey results are based on responses from private-sector businesses with at least two employees. Estimates for spring 2016 will be released in July.