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Unemployment still a struggle in Oklahoma
Job fairs spreading across Oklahoma in May.
More than 33,000 Oklahomans remain unemployed, and some business owners are scrambling to hire back employees lost during the pandemic.
For both the unemployed and scrambling employer, several career fairs scheduled for next month around the state could help.
The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission announced seven days of in-person job fairs in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Lawton, Enid and McAlester. The agency will also hold a virtual job fair from May 5-28.
Companies can sign up at http://regpack.com/reg/OESC to participate in one or more of the fairs scheduled in May: h Tulsa Expo Square, May 6-7.
h McAlester Expo Center, May 10.
h Enid Stride Bank Center, May 12.
h Lawton Hilton Garden Inn, May 14.
h Oklahoma City Convention Center, May 17-18.
h Virtual, May 5-28. Employer registration is open now, and space is limited.
The in-person career fairs will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Veterans will have the opportunity to begin participating early at 8:30 a.m. at each in-person event.
People who claim unemployment benefits and need to fulfill a work search requirement can do so by visiting a fair.
“Providing Oklahomans with the resources they need to re-enter the workforce is a top priority for the state of Oklahoma and OESC,” said Shelley Zumwalt, Executive Director of the agency.
“As the economy continues to improve, we believe that now is the right time to help employers connect with Oklahomans seeking to find employment opportunities.”
Unemployment a continued struggle in Oklahoma
The number of Oklahomans continuing to receive unemployment benefits is nearly twice what it was before the pandemic began. After months of decline, the number of new claims has doubled in recent weeks.
Gov. Kevin Stitt authorized the use of CARES Act funds to launch career fairs so employers can participate without paying registration fees.
“We expect to spend around $250,000 on the seven career fairs, which will provide thousands of Oklahomans in search of employment with connections to hundreds of employers with available positions,” Zumwalt said. “While Oklahoma’s economy has weathered the pandemic better than most states, we are still dealing with the effects of the pandemic, so we thought it was important to get out and help Oklahomans get back to work.”
Executive Director Lisa Powell of the Enid Regional Development Alliance said she’s seen movement in the past few weeks of businesses reopening and needing employees. It’s possible, she said, that federal stimulus funds and expanded unemployment benefits are contributing to an oversized number of unfilled positions.
“We have a lot of openings right now in Enid and are looking for employees,” Powell said.
Much of the economy in northwestern Oklahoma is tied with not only agriculture, but oil and gas production, which was already on the decline when the pandemic hit last year. But like other parts of the state, it appears the restaurant and hotel industries were hit hardest.
“They had more of the layoffs or letting employees go and are having to rehire and restaff as the economy reopens for the hospitality industry,” Powell said.
Despite the economic struggles in that sector, Enid has seen the opening or announcement of several restaurants over the past year including a Colton’s Steak House, Bricktown Brewery and a Hideaway Pizza.
“We can’t have a strong economy without building a strong workforce,” said Jennifer Grigsby, Secretary of Economic Administration. “The state of Oklahoma remains committed to serving both job seekers and employers in search of opportunities. The CARES Act funding our state received is intended to be used for the benefit of Oklahomans, and we’re proud to help facilitate these events to help Oklahomans find work after a very challenging year.”