oklahomaworks.gov · Web viewIn addition to overall population representation, it is helpful to...

Southern Oklahoma Workforce Area Briefing

July 2018

Overview

The Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area is composed of 17 Oklahoma counties: Atoka, Bryan, Carter, Choctaw, Coal, Garvin, Haskell, Johnston, Latimer, Le Flore, Love, Marshall, McCurtain, Murray, Pittsburg, Pontotoc, and Pushmataha. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, this combined region of Oklahoma covers 15,336 square miles, making it the second largest of the state’s workforce areas in land mass. Over 407,700 Oklahoma citizens live in the 17-county area – approximately 10.3% of the state’s total population. Four cities in the area boast populations of 10,000 residents or more, including Ardmore, McAlester, Ada, and Durant.

Note that for simplicity, the Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area will generally be referenced throughout this report as the “Area.” Sources for all data are cited. The most common data source utilized is EMSI – Economic Modeling Solutions International – data release 2018.2. Data are rounded to the nearest whole number or the nearest tenth as appropriate. As a result, some data presented may not sum exactly to the total reported. Negative numbers are shown in red text bracketed by parentheses.

Population Breakdown: County

· The largest population in the Area is found in Le Flore County with an estimated 49,768 residents representing 12.2% of the Area population, a percentage just slightly higher than Carter County. Poteau is the county seat with a 2017 estimated population of 8,866 (U.S. Census Bureau).

· The city of Ardmore, the county seat of Carter County, is the largest city in the Area with an estimated population of 24,779. Carter County, the second most populous County in the Area, is home to a total of 48,822 individuals, representing 12.0% of the population of the Area (U.S. Census Bureau).

· In contrast to Le Flore County, Coal County reports the smallest population with only 5,546 residents, only 1/9th that of Le Flore. Since 2013, the population of Coal County has declined by (-4.3%), a loss of 250 Oklahoma citizens. This trend is expected to continue through 2028, though at a slightly slower pace of (-3.9%).

· Historically, the population of the Area increased marginally. Between 2013 and 2018, the population rose by 1,687 residents, a growth rate of only 0.4%. In comparison, the state and national populations increased by 3.2% and 3.6%, respectively.

One-half of the Area counties reported population gains with the greatest growth rate centered in Bryan County: Carter (+0.5%, equal to 232 new residents), Bryan (+5.2%, +2304), Pontotoc (+0.9%, +340), Garvin (+2.4%, +644), Marshall (+2.5%, +402), Murray (+2.7%, +366), Johnston (+0.8%, +87), and Love (+4.6%, +449 new residents).

During this same time-frame, seven Area counties declined in population: Le Flore (-0.3%, a loss of 159 residents), Pittsburg (-2.2%, -1,000), McCurtain (-1.4%, -462), Choctaw (-1.9%, -289), Atoka (-0.7%, -96), Haskell (-1.4%, -179), Pushmataha (-2.1%, -233), Latimer (-4.4%, -469), and Coal (-4.3%, -250 residents). While Latimer County suffered the greatest percentage of loss in population, it must be remembered that it is home to the overall third smallest population. Pittsburg County, the fourth largest county in population, lost the greatest number of residents at (-1,000), over twice that of Latimer County.

· In addition to overall population representation, it is helpful to examine population density, measured in the number of persons living in a one-square-mile area. With only four major cities, cited previously, most of the Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area is rural; all 17 counties exhibit population density rates under 60 persons per square mile. On average, 27 residents live in a single square mile in Area counties.

Carter County is currently the most densely populated county in the Area with 59 residents per square mile. At 53 residents per square mile, Pontotoc County ranks second. With 1,422.9 square miles and 10,968 residents, Pushmataha ranks 17th at 8 persons per square mile. As a point of comparison, the two counties in Oklahoma experiencing the highest population density, Oklahoma and Tulsa, each display county-wide population densities of over 1,000 individuals per square mile.

Figure 1: 2018 Percentage of Population by County

Source: EMSI, 2018.2

Population Breakdown: Race and Ethnicity

Figure 2, following the analysis summary, illustrates the racial and ethnic diversity of residents living in the Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area. The racial categories designated by the U.S. Census Bureau are utilized. It should be noted that the Census Bureau categorizes “Hispanic,” not as a race, but as an ethnicity. As such, Hispanic is always reported in conjunction with another racial designator, i.e. “Black or African American, Hispanic.” Unless otherwise noted, the Hispanic ethnicity is aggregated regardless of race while the individual races cited were reported as Non-Hispanic.

· In 2018, the population of the Area is less racially diverse than Oklahoma as a whole. An estimated 280,545 Area residents identify themselves as “White.” This equates to 68.8% of the total Area population, 3.4 percentage points greater than the statewide respresentation of the White race which is reported at 65.4%. While this figure is higher than the state, the representation of White individuals has declined 2.2 percentage points since 2013. Predictions indicate this trend is expected to continue through 2028 when White residents are estimated to represent only 67.2% of the Area population.

· At 0.11% (444 total Area residents) Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders comprise the smallest racial classification. By 2028, the population of this cohort is expected to increase by 15.1%. While this race is anticipated to experience the highest growth rate of all races, due to the small population, this equates to only an additional 67 residents.

· Individuals of native descent are categorized by the Census Burea as “American Indian or Alaska Native.” For simplicity, this racial category will be referrenced in this report as “Native American.” At 13.4% of the population, Native Americans are significantly over-represented in the Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area when compared with the Oklahoma statewide representation of 8.3%. According to the Oklahoma Historical Society, two major Native American tribes maintain headquarters in the Area: the Chickasaw Nation, located in Ada and the Choctaw Nation in Durant.

· Individuals self-identifying as “Black or African American” are significantly under-represented in the Area at 3.5% compared to a statewide population of 7.5%. This disparity will be compounded to a small degree in the future. By 2028, the resprentation of this racial category is anticipated to decline by (-0.4%) in the Area while growing by 4.0% in the state as a whole.

Likewise, the racial category of “Asian” is also under-represented. Though the overall population of residents self-identifying as Asian is relatively small across the state: 2.3% equivalent to 91,380 residents, Asians only represent 0.7% in the Area, a total of 2,893 individuals.

· Individuals who self-identify as being of Hispanic ethnicity account for 6.9% of the Area population. As noted previously, Hispanic ethnicity is always reported in conjunction with a racial designator. This figure includes everyone of Hispanic ethnicity, regardless of race. Between 2013 and 2018, the Hispanic population in the Area increased by 16.7%. This is significantly greater than the statewide growth rate of 15.3%. Between 2018 and 2028, the rate of growth for the Hispanic population in the Area is expected to slow to 12.2%.

· Between 2013 and 2018, the growth rate for the Non-Hispanic population reflected a loss of (-0.6%), resulting in a decline in population in that category of an estimated (-2,322) individuals. This trend is expected to continue with a (-0.5%) loss in Non-Hispanic population between 2018 and 2028. These data include individuals of any race who report Non-Hispanic ethnicity.

Figure 2: Racial and Ethnic Representation


Native American Population

Based upon the significant over-representation of Native Americans in the Area, this group was selected for further analysis. Following the analysis summary, Figure 3, titled “2018 Percentage of Race by Age, Native Americans versus All Other Racial Categories” illustrates the Native American population by age as compared to populations who identify as any other race. Unless otherwise noted, the figures provided represent data aggregated by race only, without consideration of ethnicity.

· As reported previously, Native Americans, Non-Hispanic, account for 13.4% of the population in the Southern Oklahoma Workforce Area. When individuals classifying themselves as Native Americans, Hispanic, are included, the percentage increases to 14.5%. In comparison, the aggregated counts of all other racial populations, represented in the chart by the category “All Other Races,” equates to 85.5% of the overall Area population.

· The lowest percentages of the Native American population are found in the 15-19 and 20-24 age ranges, at 8.8% and 7.8% respectively.

· The majority of the Native American population is 34 years of age or younger (57.5%) while the majority of those classified as “All Other Races” are over the age of 35 (57.2%). Nearly 27% of all Native Americans residing in the Area are under the age of 15 and 35.7% are under the age of 19; for all other races, only 18.9% are under the age of 15 and 25% are under the age of 19.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, an examination of the group of individuals above traditional retirement age – 65 years and over – reveals that Other Races are represented at a rate nearly twice that of Native Americans. Nearly 20% of Area residents of Other Races are retirement age versus only 10.4% of Native Americans.

These figures hold significant implication for the diversity of the racial makeup of the future workforce in the Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area. Those individuals classified as “All other Races” currently in the workforce will continue to age out and exit the workforce at a higher rate than Native Americans, to be replaced by a greater representation of entry-age Native Americans. Another impact of this shift in racial representation affects educators. This significant cohort of young Native Americans either preparing to enter or currently enrolled in the K-12 and/or Career Tech systems offers increased opportunities to engage with and mentor Native American youth, preparing them for the future needs of the workforce.

Figure 3: 2018 Percentage of Race by Age; Native Americans versus All Other Racial

Categories

Source: EMSI 2018.2

Equal Opportunity

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is tasked with enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against job applicants and employees who are included in several diverse categories. These protected groups include age, disability, national origin, race/color, religion, and sex, among others (www.eeoc.gov). The following data serve to increase awareness of cohorts of Oklahoma citizens of workforce age possibly at risk for discrimination. For the purposes of this report, data and analyses are presented for six categories specifically associated with Equal Opportunity enforcement: Disability, Age and Gender, Race and Ethnicity, English Language Learners, Religious Affiliation, and Unemployment of Adults Age 40 to 64 years. Age ranges for each category are aligned as closely as possible contingent upon data availability. Sources are noted for each category and full data regarding Equal Opportunity in the Area are available in Appendix A.

Disability (18 to 64 years of age; Under 18 years of age).

Source: American Community Survey, 2016, 5-year Estimates

The U.S. Census Bureau collects disability data through the American Community Survey and reports it aggregated by disability type, termed “difficulties.” The six categories utilized in this report include hearing, vision, cognitive, ambulatory, self-care, and independent living difficulties. Data are self-reported by survey respondents based upon their perception of the existence of a disability/difficulty.

Current Workforce, 18 to 64 years of age.

· In 2016, the population of the Area for individuals between 18 and 64 years of age was approximately 232,302. Of these, 42,955 reported experiencing one or more disabilities, resulting in an overall disability rate for the Area in this age bracket of 18.5%. These data represent the highest disability rate among all of the Workforce Development Areas and is significantly greater than the overall state rate of 13.9%.

· For those individuals reporting a disability, most indicated their difficulty was of an ambulatory nature (54.6%). Self-care disabilities ranked lowest with only 18.9%.

· Males were more likely to report a difficulty than females, exhibiting overall rates of 19.3% and 17.7% respectively.

· With regard to race, the highest rate was found among Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders at 21.0%; however, it must be noted that this is a very small racial cohort of only 233 individuals, 49 of whom report a disability. Individuals self-identifying as Two or More Races reported a disability rate of 20.6%. This racial category represented 4,903 individuals, of whom 672 reported a disability.

· Asians reported the lowest disability rate at 2.2%. This rate is extremely low compared with the next higher rate of 13.7% for the “Some Other Race” category. This trend is reflected at virtually all geographical levels – state, Workforce Area, and most Oklahoma counties. Further research would be required to determine if this trend presents an accurate representation of the disability rates for individuals of Asian descent or if other factors such as privacy concerns, a reluctance to report the existence of disabilities, or cultural beliefs may be skewing the data.

Future Workforce, Under 18 years of age.

· Disability rates for youth under the age of 18 are significantly lower at 6.1%, though this rate continues to be higher than any other Workforce Development Area. Multiple factors may contribute to the differential between the adult and youth rates. Many disabilities manifest as the individual grows older. Conversely, impediments are often difficult or impossible to diagnose in very young children. Additionally, some of the disabilities reported to the U.S. Census Bureau are inappropriate for certain age ranges, delaying the reporting of those disabilities.

· For this age group, Cognitive disability types presented most frequently, representing 58.7% of respondents reporting a difficulty. Ambulatory difficulties ranked lowest at 9.7%. As may be expected, Independent Living difficulties were not applicable to this subgroup of Area residents.

· As with the older cohort, males were more likely to report a disability than females, 6.7% compared with 5.6%.

· Like the adult cohort, individuals of Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander race reported the highest rates at 13.6%. Again, this is a very small population of only 177, with 24 reporting a disability. Individuals of “Some Other Race” reported the second highest disability rate at 9.4% while Asians reported the lowest at 1.7%.

Age and Gender (15 to 64 years of age).


EMSI reports population data based upon 5-year age brackets. In order to best represent the current workforce, ten age brackets were selected ranging from 15 to 19 years of age through 60 to 64 years of age.

· The Area workforce is contracting with fewer workers projected in this age range within the next 10 years. The total estimated 2017 Area population for this age bracket was 251,813. By 2027, that number is anticipated to decline to 241,833, an overall loss of nearly 10,000 individuals (-4.0%).

· While the overall number of workers in the Area is anticipated to decline, a significant increase will occur in the prime working age categories of 35 to 39- and 40 to 44-years of age. These two age groups are projected to experience growth rates of 8.1% each.

Figure 4: Percentage of Growth/Loss of Workforce Population by Age Range, 2017 to 2027


· In 2017, gender representation in skewed slightly higher toward males in the 15 to 64-year bracket – 50.3% versus 49.7% female. While the overall population is anticipated to decrease by 2027, that decline disproportionately affects females. The gap between the genders will widen by 0.1 percentage points, 50.4% male compared with 49.6% female.

Race and Ethnicity (15 to 64 years of age).


As indicated previously, the racial and ethnic categories utilized in this report are designated by the U.S. Census Bureau.

· In 2017, individuals self-identifying as White (regardless of ethnicity) constituted the largest racial group in the Area at 74.3%. American Indian or Alaskan Native (regardless of ethnicity) represent the second-largest group at 14.6%.

· When disaggregated by ethnicity, the category of White, Non-Hispanics maintained the majority of residents, albeit at a lower rate of 69.2%.

· Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander are the least populous, accounting for only 0.1% or 350 residents. Likewise, Asians constitute a relatively small percentage of the Area population at 0.8%, 2,055 residents. Increases in both of these populations are predicted by 2027 at 31.6% and 14.0% respectively; however, due to the small population sizes, these growth rates only result in a total of 398 new citizens.

· Black or African Americans represent only 3.9% of the population in this age bracket. This is well below the state-level representation for this racial group at 8.2%. While this cohort is predicted to increase 0.2% at the state level by 2027, population in the Area of Black or African American residents will decline by (-6.6%), a loss of approximately (-654) individuals.

· With regard to ethnicity only, Hispanics constitute 6.5% of the total population in the Area; however, the growth rate for this group is predicted to be 14.2% by 2027. This equates to 2,323 new Hispanic citizens. In comparison, the population of Non-Hispanics is anticipated to decline by (-5.2%), a projected loss of (-12,300) residents.

English Language Learners (18 to 64 years of age).

Source: American Community Survey, 2016, 5-year Estimates

The U.S. Census Bureau collects data regarding English usage and perceived fluency via the American Community Survey. Survey recipients are first requested to identify the primary language spoken in their home. Language choices are limited to:

· Spanish;

· Other Indo-European Language, (French, Italian, German, Russian, Hindi, Other Indic languages, etc.);

· Asian and Pacific Island Language, (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hmong, Vietnamese, Other languages of Asia, etc.); and,

· Other Language (Native languages of North America, Arabic, Hebrew, some languages of Africa, Hungarian, etc.).

Respondents who indicate speaking a language other than English are then asked to estimate their level of fluency in English (“How well does this person speak English?”). Four responses are available to this question: “Very Well,” “Well,” “Not Well,” or “Not at All.”

· Nearly 94% of residents in Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area speak only English in their homes; 6.2% speak a language other than English. Of that 6.2%:

· 4.3% speak Spanish;

· 0.6% speak Other European Languages;

· 0.6% speak Asian and Pacific Island Language; and,

· 0.7% speak Other Languages.

· Spanish-language speakers report the lowest level of perceived English fluency with 27.5% reporting they speak English either “Not Well” or “Not at All.” Approximately 17.1% of Asian and Pacific Island Language speakers report this same level of English proficiency.

· Only 4.5% of individuals who speak “Other Languages” report low English proficiency. While the category of “Other Languages” includes a broad variety of tongues, based upon the racial makeup of the Area, it may be presumed these individuals predominantly represent Native American language speakers.

Religious Affiliation.

Source: Multiple cited within the analysis

While religion is a key component of concern for discrimination regarding equal opportunity, data pertaining to religious beliefs and affiliations is limited. Privately-conducted surveys are the predominant source of information available including the Pew Research Center Religious Landscape Study (http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/state/oklahoma/), a 2009 Religious Affiliation study conducted by InfoGroup and reported via Social Explorer at the University of Wisconsin Extension (https://fyi.uwex.edu/community-data-tools/2011/12/05/detailed-data-on-religion-by-county/), and a 2010 Gallup Poll that quantifies perceived feelings of religious discrimination. Additional information is referenced from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC). Despite the limitations of these sources, the statistics included in this report can assist in building a framework for the context of Oklahomans’ religious beliefs and help to identify the potential for increased risk factors of religious discrimination.

· Most residents of the Area identify with the Evangelical Protestant church. Over 740 congregations exist with nearly 129,000 members – 67.4% of all survey respondents. Another 15.3% identify themselves as Mainline Protestant while 2.9% are Roman Catholic. While there are 8 Latter-Day Saint (Mormon) congregations identified in the Area, the membership of those congregations constitutes only 1% of the respondents.

· At the time of the referenced studies, there was minimal representation in the state of Non-Christian faiths. As of 2009, there were no reported Islamic, Hindu, or Buddhist congregations in the Area. Since that time, additional religious institutions for these faiths have been established in Oklahoma, but none were reported to be located in the Area.

· While data does not appear to be available at state or regional levels, national data emphasize the importance of local awareness of this topic. According to the EEOC, religion-based discrimination charges filed with the agency rose steadily from 1997 to 2016. In 1997, the EEOC received 1,709 filings based upon perceived discrimination due to religion; 20 years later, in 2016, the EEOC received 3,825 filings, an increase of more than 123%. Additionally, the mixture of findings has altered with significant monetary impact. In 1997, 12.1% of charges received merited resolutions with a monetary benefit total of $2.2 million dollars ($3.3M in 2016 dollars). After reaching a peak at 24.1% merit resolutions with monetary benefits of $6.4M 2007 ($7.5M 2016), merit resolutions dropped in 2016 to 14.9%. Despite this 2016 drop in the percentage of claims upheld, awards rose as monetary benefits reached $10.1 million dollars. Clearly, while merit was found in a lesser number of religion-based EEOC claims in 2016, the average damage award/settlement per merited finding increased. (https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/statistics/enforcement/religion.cfm).

Unemployment of Older Adults (40 to 64 years of age).

Source: U. S. Census Bureau 2016 American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMs)

With regard to unemployment figures, data concerning individuals in the protected age category of 40 and over is difficult to extract. Most sources provide data broken into age ranges inconsistent with these protected class parameters. The data provided in this report was mined via the Data Ferret application from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2016 American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMs). Unfortunately, the data from this Sample is only available at the national, United States regional, state, and PUMs levels. As the Bureau’s designated State Data Center, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce designates the extent of each PUMs Area (PUMA). The latest delineation of PUMAs took place in 2010. Currently, 28 PUMAs are defined for the state of Oklahoma including six for the Oklahoma City area and four for the Tulsa area.

Due to population requirements for the designation of a PUMs Area, each PUMA may include several counties or only a single part of a county, but are not defined or limited by county geographical boundaries. As a result, parts of a single county may be allocated to multiple different PUMAs. This methodology eliminates the ability to either 1) aggregate data into a WFDA, or 2) disaggregate data applicable to individual counties.

Within these data limitations, the observations presented in this section are made based upon PUMs Areas that contain counties or parts of counties included in the Area.

· The Bryan, Pontotoc (East), Marshall, Atoka, Johnston, and Coal Counties PUMA exhibits the highest labor force participation (LFP) rate in the Area of 63.1%. The Southeast Oklahoma PUMA including Choctaw, Haskell, Latimer, Le Flore, McCurtain, Pittsburg, and Pushmataha Counties reports the lowest LFP rate in the Area at 60.4%. For comparison purposes, two PUMs in Oklahoma City report LFPs of 80.7% and 80.6% and the four Tulsa PUMAs report LFP rates ranging between 72.6% and 79.3%.

· Unemployment rates for this cohort for PUMAs containing Area counties were reported as:

· 4.1% in Southeast Oklahoma PUMA: Choctaw, Haskell, Latimer, Le Flore, McCurtain, Pittsburg, and Pushmataha;

· 1.3% in Carter, Garvin, Murray, Love, and Pontotoc (West) Counties PUMA; and,

· 4.9% in Bryan, Pontotoc (East), Marshall, Atoka, Johnston, and Coal Counties PUMA.

· Regarding racial distribution, the highest unemployment rates were reported as:

Table 1: Highest Unemployment Rates by PUMA and Race

PUMA

Race

Unemployment Rate

Southeast Oklahoma PUMA: Choctaw, Haskell, Latimer, Le Flore, McCurtain, Pittsburg, and Pushmataha

Black or African American

14.4%

Carter, Garvin, Murray, Love, and Pontotoc (West) Counties PUMA

White

1.5%

Bryan, Pontotoc (East), Marshall, Atoka, Johnston, and Coal Counties PUMA

Black or African American

30.9%

· Within this age bracket, individuals with disabilities generally report significantly higher unemployment rates than those without disabilities. The PUMA composed of Carter, Garvin, Murray, Love, and Pontotoc (West) Counties is the exception, reporting an unemployment rate for individuals with disabilities at 1.2% versus 1.3% for those without disabilities. In the Bryan, Pontotoc (East), Marshall, Atoka, Johnston, and Coal Counties PUMA, the differential between these data is significant. Over 23% of those individuals with disabilities are unemployed versus 2.5% of those who report no disability.

Table 2: Highest Unemployment Rates by PUMA and Disability Status

PUMA

Disability

No Disability

Southeast Oklahoma PUMA: Choctaw, Haskell, Latimer, Le Flore, McCurtain, Pittsburg, and Pushmataha

9.0%

3.2%

Carter, Garvin, Murray, Love, and Pontotoc (West) Counties PUMA

1.2%

1.3%

Bryan, Pontotoc (East), Marshall, Atoka, Johnston, and Coal Counties PUMA

23.2%

2.5%

· Unemployment rates of females generally exceed those for males. The Southeast Oklahoma PUMA is the exception, with unemployment rates of 5.2% and 2.9%, male versus female, respectively

· Unemployment rates for Hispanics are reported at 0.0% for all three Area PUMAs. According to these data, at the time of the report, all of the individuals of Hispanic ethnicity who wanted a job were working.

Educational Attainment

Data regarding educational attainment are gathered by the U.S. Census Bureau utilizing a variety of surveys. Census Bureau staff aggregate the data into seven educational attainment categories ranging from the completion of “Less than 9th Grade” up to the attainment of a “Graduate Degree or Higher.” Unfortunately, the scale currently in use fails to quantify those individuals who have achieved an educational award above the level of a high school diploma but below the attainment of an Associates Degree. This missing category is generally characterized by the completion of a career-specific vocationally associated certificate or an industry-recognized credential. The educational attainment levels, categorized utilizing the Census Bureau classifications, are discussed below and followed by two charts, “Educational Attainment by Education Level” and “Educational Attainment by Race/Ethnicity.” Data are provided for individuals aged 25 and over.

· Educational attainment in the Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area is heavily centered in the areas of “High school diploma” and “Some College.” Over 38% of residents have earned a diploma while an additional 21% have attended some college without completing a degree.

· Over one half of the Area residents have completed a high school diploma or less (55.6%). More than 17% of those individuals lack a high school diploma.

· Approximately 82.6% of Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area residents have attained a high school diploma or higher. This level of educational attainment is lower than the state and national averages at 86% each. Likewise, with regard to postsecondary degrees – Associates Degrees and higher – the Area attainment level of 23.3% is lower than both the state (30.9%) and the national (37.4%) levels.

· Approximately 21.1% of Area residents have completed “Some College.” This percentage is higher than the national average of 20.7%, but slightly below that of the state at 23.5%.

· Residents possessing a Bachelor’s Degree constitute 11% of the population, about 44% fewer than the state level and 66% fewer than the national level. Approximately 5.6% of residents hold a Graduate Degree or Higher. This attainment level is one-half of the national level of 11.1% and 43% below the state level of 8.0%.

· Race and ethnicity figure prominently in educational achievement. With regard to race, regardless of ethnicity, 23.5% of Area residents self-identifying as “White” report attaining a college degree; for individuals who report being “Black or African American” or Native American the percentages drop to 20.5% and 21.4% respectively. The highest college degree completion rates are those of individuals who self-identify as Asian (49.6%) though it must be remembered this is a very small portion of the population.

· The most significant educational attainment gap is revealed by an examination of data associated with ethnicity at the lower educational levels. Approximately 44.5% of Area Hispanics possess an educational level less than a high school diploma as compared with 16.0% for individuals of Non-Hispanic ethnicity. Only 43.6% of Hispanics have attained a high school diploma versus 60.1% of Non-Hispanics. With regards to a college degree, Hispanics continue to trail Non-Hispanics, 11.9% versus 23.9%, respectively.

Figure 5: Educational Attainment by Educational Level; Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area

compared with Oklahoma and the United States

Source: EMSI 2018.2

Figure 6: Educational Attainment by Race/Ethnicity; Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area

Source: EMSI 2018.2

Educational Assets

Colleges, Universities, Career Technology Centers, and K-12 schools are instrumental in developing the workforce of the Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area. The Area is home to several institutions which help supply local businesses and organizations with a workforce that has the necessary labor and skills to be competitive in today’s economy.

CareerTechs.

There are three CareerTechs with twelve locations in the Area:

· Kiamichi Technology Center (Antlers, Atoka, Durant, Hugo, Idabel, McAlester, Poteau, Spiro, Stigler, and Talihina)

· Pontotoc Technology Center (Ada)

· Southern Oklahoma Technology Center (Ardmore)

Source: CareerTech.org

Colleges and Universities.

There are six colleges and universities in the Area with eight campus locations:

· Carl Albert State College (Poteau)

· East Central University (Ada)

· Eastern Oklahoma State College (McAlester and Wilburton)

· Murray State College (Tishomingo)

· Southeastern Oklahoma State University (Durant and Idabel)

· University Center of Southern Oklahoma (Ardmore)

Source: Oklahoma State Regents of Higher Education

K-12 School Districts.

There are 114 K-12 school districts in the Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area:

Office of Workforce Developmentwww.oklahomaworks.gov

6

Office of Workforce Developmentwww.oklahomaworks.gov

23

Atoka County:

· Harmony (Atoka)

· Lane (Lane)

· Stringtown (Stringtown)

· Atoka (Atoka)

· Tushka (Atoka)

· Caney (Caney)

Bryan County:

· Silo (Durant)

· Rock Creek (Bokchito)

· Achille (Achille)

· Colbert (Colbert)

· Caddo (Caddo)

· Bennington (Bennington)

· Calera (Calera)

· Durant (Durant)

· Choctaw Nation ILC (Durant)

Carter County:

· Zaneis (Wilson)

· Ardmore (Ardmore)

· Springer (Springer)

· Plainview (Ardmore)

· Lone Grove (Lone Grove)

· Wilson (Wilson)

· Healdton (Healdton)

· Fox (Fox)

· Dickson (Ardmore)

· Tri-County ILC (Fox)

Choctaw County:

· Swink (Swink)

· Boswell (Boswell)

· Fort Towson (Fort Towson)

· Soper (Soper)

· Hugo (Hugo)

Coal County:

· Cottonwood (Coalgate)

· Coalgate (Coalgate)

· Tupelo (Tupelo)

Garvin County:

· Whitebead (Pauls Valley)

· Stratford (Stratford)

· Paoli (Paoli)

· Maysville (Maysville)

· Lindsay (Lindsay)

· Pauls Valley (Pauls Valley)

· Wynnewood (Wynnewood)

· Elmore City-Pernell (Elmore City)

Haskell County:

· Whitefield (Whitefield)

· Kinta (Kinta)

· Stigler (Stigler)

· McCurtain (McCurtain)

· Keota (Keota)

Johnston County:

· Mannsville (Mannsville)

· Ravia (Ravia)

· Mill Creek (Mill Creek)

· Tishomingo (Tishomingo)

· Milburn (Milburn)

· Coleman (Coleman)

· Wapanucka (Wapanucka)

Latimer County:

· Wilburton (Wilburton)

· Rad Oak (Red Oak)

· Buffalo Valley (Talihina)

· Panola (Wilburton)

Le Flore County:

· Shady Point (Shady Point)

· Monroe (Monroe)

· Hodgen (Hodgen)

· Fanshawe (Fanshawe)

· Spiro (Spiro)

· Heavener (Heavener)

· Pocola (Pocola)

· Le Flore (Le Flore)

· Cameron (Cameron)

· Panama (Panama)

· Bokoshe (Bokoshe)

· Poteau (Poteau)

· Wister (Wister)

· Talihina (Talihina)

· Whitesboro (Whitesboro)

· Howe (Howe)

· Arkoma (Arkoma)

Love County:

· Greenville (Marietta)

· Thackerville (Thackerville)

· Turner (Burneyville)

· Marietta (Marietta)

Marshall County:

· Madill (Madill)

· Kingston (Kingston)

McCurtain County:

· Forest Grove (Garvin)

· Lukfata (Broken Bow)

· Glover (Broken Bow)

· Denison (Idabel)

· Holly Creek (Broken Bow)

· Idabel (Idabel)

· Haworth (Haworth)

· Valliant (Valliant)

· Eagletown (Eagletown)

· Smithville (Smithville)

· Wright City (Wright City)

· Battiest (Broken Bow)

· Broken Bow (Broken Bow)

· Southeastern Oklahoma ILC (Valliant)

Murray County:

· Sulphur (Sulphur)

· Davis (Davis)

Pittsburg County:

· Krebs (Krebs)

· Frink-Chambers (McAlester)

· Tannehill (McAlester)

· Haywood (McAlester)

· Carlton Landing Academy (Carlton Landing)

· Hartshorne (Hartshorne)

· Canadian (Canadian)

· Haileyville (Haileyville)

· Kiowa (Kiowa)

· Quinton (Quinton)

· Indianola (Indianola)

· Crowder (Crowder)

· Savanna (Savanna)

· Pittsburg (Pittsburg)

· McAlester (McAlester)

Pontotoc County:

· Allen (Allen)

· Vanoss (Ada)

· Byng (Ada)

· Ada (Ada)

· Latta (Ada)

· Stonewall (Stonewall)

· Roff (Roff)

Pushmataha County:

· Albion (Albion)

· Tuskahoma (Tuskahoma)

· Nashoba (Nashoba)

· Rattan (Rattan)

· Clayton (Clayton)

· Antlers (Antlers)

· Moyers (Moyers)

Source: Oklahoma State Department of Education

Skills Gap

Building upon the educational attainment data presented previously, a skills gap analysis was completed. To achieve this analysis, the current level of educational achievement of Area residents was directly compared to the typical entry level of education required by newly created jobs projected to develop between 2018 and 2028. The chart “Skills Gap for Newly Created Jobs by 2028” follows the analysis and illustrates the educational gap identified.

· The Area is expected to experience a 27 percentage point skill gap by 2028.

· Overall, to meet the projected developing needs of employers for newly created jobs, 71.4% of the workforce must possess an education above a high school diploma through postsecondary education including credentials, certificates or degrees.

· Current attainment at those levels is estimated at 44.3% -- 27 percentage points below anticipated requirements.

· Based upon the projected 2028 estimated population of 409,328, an estimated 110,519 additional Area residents must obtain some level of education above a high school diploma. This estimate is compounded when factoring in the anticipated need for individuals with even higher educational levels discussed below.

· The differential between current attainment and employer need at the Bachelor’s level is 3.4 percentage points. At the Graduate Degree or Higher level (Master’s, Doctoral, or Professional Degrees), need is estimated at 3.9% versus a current attainment rate of 5.6%. This basic analysis, however, may be misleading. Three important factors substantially impact the estimated need for these degree levels:

1. Variability of the data. The data utilized for this analysis are based upon projected need which is rooted in historical data. They are, by their very nature, estimates which can change as economic conditions and workforce demands evolve. As time progresses, it is probable that the need for higher degrees will increase.

2. Degree misalignment. The projected shortfall of 3.4 percentage points at the Bachelor’s degree level will be compounded by a misalignment of degree specialty. The existence of a sufficient number of individuals possessing a Bachelor’s Degree fails to meet the needs of employers if those degrees do not provide the appropriate training necessary to fulfill job requirements. As an example, 10 individuals with degrees in management cannot meet the needs of employers requiring 10 engineers.

3. Surplus of graduate degrees. It must be considered that the 1.7 percentage point “surplus” of individuals who already possess a Graduate Degree or higher may place downward pressure on the need for Bachelor’s Degrees as more highly trained job seekers accept positions below their educational attainment. This may somewhat lessen the impact of the projected deficit and degree misalignment at the Bachelor’s degree level; however, it is also probable that these individuals may be drawn outside the Area or the state for employment better suited to their educational achievement rather than choosing to fill positions with lower educational requirements.

Given all of these factors, overall, there is a significant unmet need for highly skilled, highly educated residents in the Area. Of particular consideration to meet these needs must be increased mentoring and engagement with students at all levels to enhance educational outcomes as well as improved communication to ensure those students 1) make informed decisions regarding their long-term educational plans and 2) align themselves with future workforce needs.

Figure 7: Skills Gap for Newly Created Jobs by 2028, Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area


Critical Occupations List

The Oklahoma Office of Workforce Development (OOWD) continually monitors in-demand and critical occupations across the state. The annual state-wide Top 100 Critical Occupations List is longitudinal and focuses on job growth, acknowledging the need for extended time frames to achieve higher levels of education necessary to prepare potential job applicants for future employment. These jobs emphasize the state’s desire to 1) meet labor demands so that businesses and entrepreneurs involved in all industries can grow and prosper, and 2) Oklahoma citizens can maintain wealth generating employment.

Occupations must meet several criteria to be included on the list. The methodology includes four primary criteria:

· Vital to one of Oklahoma’s five key or four regional/complementary ecosystems (discussed later in this report);

· Projected growth across a 10-year timeline: Eliminates all occupations with projected negative growth (overall job loss);

· Wealth generation: Eliminates occupations with median hourly earnings of less than $12 per hour; and,

· Educational attainment levels: Eliminates all occupations requiring “no formal education” unless the occupation reports competitive median hourly earnings greater than $20 per hour.

To ensure representation of occupations from all educational levels, the list of remaining occupations is stratified by the typical entry-level educational requirement and the top ranked occupations are selected from each educational group.

Due to the reduced number of jobs and population in each Workforce Development Area, Area Critical Occupation lists are limited to the top 50, though the methodology remains unchanged. Table 3 contains the most recent Top 50 Area Critical Occupations for Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area as of February, 2018. The list is ordered by median hourly earnings, greatest to least.

Table 3: Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area Critical Occupation List, Revised February 2018

SOC

Description

2017 Jobs

2027 Jobs

Change

(2017-2027)

Median Hourly Earnings

Typical Entry Level Education

Work Experience Required

Typical On-The-Job Training

Annual Openings

January 2018 Unique Job Postings

For Educational Levels of High School Diploma or Less, there is a Certificate available

29-1021

Dentists, General

147

170

23

$91.74

Doctoral or professional degree

None

None

7

9

29-1171

Nurse Practitioners

109

141

32

$50.01

Master's degree

None

None

9

13

11-3021

Computer and Information Systems Managers

168

197

29

$39.36

Bachelor's degree

5 years or more

None

16

1

11-3051

Industrial Production Managers

166

183

17

$39.06

Bachelor's degree

5 years or more

None

14

10

29-1123

Physical Therapists

136

191

55

$38.44

Doctoral or professional degree

None

None

12

29

17-2051

Civil Engineers

102

132

30

$38.30

Bachelor's degree

None

None

11

3

11-9021

Construction Managers

121

158

37

$36.87

Bachelor's degree

None

Moderate-term on-the-job training

13

14

17-2112

Industrial Engineers

67

89

22

$35.63

Bachelor's degree

None

None

7

19

11-9111

Medical and Health Services Managers

468

532

64

$35.57

Bachelor's degree

Less than 5 years

None

45

41

29-9011

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists

143

161

18

$35.34

Bachelor's degree

None

None

10

9

17-2141

Mechanical Engineers

99

122

23

$35.26

Bachelor's degree

None

None

9

6

11-1021

General and Operations Managers

1,961

2,290

329

$34.97

Bachelor's degree

5 years or more

None

204

152

29-2021

Dental Hygienists

167

196

29

$34.55

Associate's degree

None

None

14

0

11-3031

Financial Managers

508

578

70

$32.29

Bachelor's degree

5 years or more

None

46

9

15-1132

Software Developers, Applications

127

158

31

$31.75

Bachelor's degree

None

None

12

4

15-1121

Computer Systems Analysts

131

172

41

$31.44

Bachelor's degree

None

None

14

6

13-1111

Management Analysts

166

205

39

$29.62

Bachelor's degree

Less than 5 years

None

20

7

13-1051

Cost Estimators

92

124

32

$28.70

Bachelor's degree

None

None

14

1

15-1142

Network and Computer Systems Administrators

179

209

30

$28.10

Bachelor's degree

None

None

15

7

29-1141

Registered Nurses

2,380

2,664

284

$27.61

Associate's degree

None

None

158

229

49-1011

First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers

689

798

109

$27.37

High school diploma or equivalent

Less than 5 years

None

74

35

Certificate available

17-3023

Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technicians

89

99

10

$27.36

Associate's degree

None

None

9

2

13-2072

Loan Officers

432

463

31

$27.01

Bachelor's degree

None


39

8

29-2011

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists

144

175

31

$26.79

Bachelor's degree

None

None

13

11

13-2011

Accountants and Auditors

950

1,154

204

$25.78

Bachelor's degree

None

None

112

16

15-1152

Computer Network Support Specialists

86

100

14

$24.82

Associate's degree

None

None

8

0

47-5011

Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas

130

151

21

$24.71

No formal educational credential

None

Short-term on-the-job training

20

0

47-1011

First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers

629

787

158

$24.47


5 years or more

None

84

8


29-2034

Radiologic Technologists

210

222

12

$22.77

Associate's degree

None

None

13

17

13-1023

Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products

189

214

25

$22.62

Bachelor's degree

None

Long-term on-the-job training

20

7

49-9041

Industrial Machinery Mechanics

561

738

177

$22.57


None


73

14


47-2111

Electricians

888

1,086

198

$22.36


None

Apprenticeship

130

49


15-1134

Web Developers

66

82

16

$21.64

Associate's degree

None

None

7

3

19-4031

Chemical Technicians

65

77

12

$21.51

Associate's degree

None


8

3

51-4041

Machinists

356

478

122

$20.75


None


54

9


13-1151

Training and Development Specialists

148

180

32

$20.42

Bachelor's degree

Less than 5 years

None

19

31

25-4021

Librarians

183

222

39

$19.69

Master's degree

None

None

23

0

53-3032

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

3,350

4,069

719

$19.39

Postsecondary nondegree award

None


468

19,520

47-2152

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters

462

565

103

$18.36


None

Apprenticeship

64

8


15-1151

Computer User Support Specialists

521

576

55

$18.18

Some college, no degree

None

None

46

8

49-3031

Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

280

375

95

$17.61


None


38

48


47-2073

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

1,172

1,415

243

$17.43


None


166

5


51-4121

Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers

1,274

1,375

101

$17.40


None


152

21


33-3051

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers

1,025

1,497

472

$16.11


None


128

1


29-2056

Veterinary Technologists and Technicians

58

83

25

$14.96

Associate's degree

None

None

8

0

53-3033

Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers

731

868

137

$14.78


None


99

456


51-8031

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

327

427

100

$14.61


None


41

3

29-2012

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians

190

249

59

$14.21

Associate's degree

None

None

20

8

33-2011

Firefighters

357

579

222

$14.13


None


53

0

29-2041

Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics

587

767

180

$12.95


None

None

60

19

Commuter Data

The U.S. Census Bureau Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) program uses data from a variety of sources including the unemployment insurance program, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), and administrative data from censuses and surveys to create models estimating worker commutes for employment. Figure 8, “Commuter Patterns, Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area,” and Figure 9, “Inflow/Outflow Commuter Map” following the analysis summary, illustrate the commuter trends for residents of each Area county and for the Area as a whole. Data are quoted for 2015, the latest available from this source.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau models:

· Commuter inflow and outflow are relatively balanced. While 37,033 individuals enter the Area for employment, 39,374 exit. In terms of commuter inflow, all of the surrounding counties supply workers to the Area. Most of these workers reside north of the Area, with particular concentrations in the Tulsa, Oklahoma City, and Fort Smith metropolitan areas. For counties along the southern Oklahoma border, workers enter the Area for employment predominantly from Cooke and Grayson Counties, Texas.

· Approximately 52.5% of workers leaving the Area are between the ages of 30 and 54. Those individuals predominantly work in the “All Other Services” industry classification (53.2%) and earn between $1,251 and $3,333 per month (40.4%).

Like outbound commuters, commuters entering the Area for employment are between 30 and 54 years of age (52.2%), work in the “All Other Services” industry (55.1%), and earn between $1,251 and $3,333 per month (42%).

· The Area retains 71% of residents for employment. Most of those individuals who commute outside the region travel to the Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Fort Smith, Arkansas metropolitan area for employment.

· Five counties retain more than 50% of working residents for employment: Bryan, Carter, McCurtain, Pittsburg, and Pontotoc. Carter County retains the highest percentage at 64.0%. Conversely, Johnston County retains the lowest percentage at 27.5%. Those workers from Johnston County predominantly remain in the Area, traveling to Ardmore in Carter County for employment.

· Le Flore County experiences the highest percentage of workers leaving the Area for employment at 45.4%, significantly more than the second highest rated Haskell County at 36.0% loss. Most of the commuters from these two counties travel to Fort Smith, Arkansas for employment. While the earnings in Le Flore and Haskell Counties are somewhat comparable to those in Fort Smith ($44,183 versus $46,748 annually, respectively), providing marginal incentive to commute for fiscal reasons, job densities vary significantly. In 2018, only 16,618 jobs were reported in the combined counties of Le Flore and Haskell while 110,998 were reported in Fort Smith. These density figures provide substantially greater job opportunity and variety, possibly serving as an incentive to leave Oklahoma and work in Arkansas.

· Commuting can no longer be strictly defined as physical relocation for employment. Data indicate that Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area residents who commute outside the region to work do so not only in adjacent counties and states but across the nation. These data emphasize the growing trend of telework.

Figure 8: Commuter Patterns, Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Longitudinal Employer Household Dynamics (LEHD); On-The-Map

Figure 9: Inflow/Outflow Commuter Map, Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Longitudinal Employer Household Dynamics (LEHD); On-The-Map

Unemployment Rate

The term “unemployment” refers to individuals who are counted as participating in the labor force, but are not employed. This eliminates consideration of individuals who do not participate in the labor force such as individuals who are unable to work due to a disability, retirees, and individuals who may consciously choose not to work such as students. As a result, the unemployment rate cited focuses on individuals seeking, but not attaining, employment.

For this analysis, the average unemployment rates for individuals living in Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area were compared to the average unemployment rates for the state of Oklahoma as a whole, and the nation, over a span of 5 years from January 2013 to January 2018. Note that county unemployment data are only available as non-seasonally adjusted. For this reason, in order to provide a direct comparison, state and national data are also cited as non-seasonally adjusted.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (BLS LAUS)

Figure 10: Unemployment in Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area Versus State and Nation

· Between January 2013 and January 2018, the unemployment rate in the Area consistently trended above the statewide average.

· During the five-year span examined, the unemployment rate for the Area peaked at 7.6% in January 2013 and reached its lowest level of 4.4% in November 2017. The average unemployment rate for this time frame was 5.7%.

· Following an initial upswing in unemployment rates to 4.9% in January 2018, preliminary figures for February through May 2018 indicate the unemployment rate is generally stable, reaching a low of 4.2% in April before increasing 0.1% in May to 4.3%.

Total Employment by County

In contrast to the unemployment rates discussed previously, this report section focuses on the number and percentage of individuals in the Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area who were employed. Employment data are cited for May 2018.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment Statistics

Figure 11: Total Employment in Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area by County, May 2018

· In May 2018, 177,880 Area residents were in the workforce with 170,170 employed. This results in an employment rate of 95.7%, a percentage substantially higher than the 94.4% employment rate reported in the previous Area briefing for January 2017.

· Despite possessing the second largest overall population, largest labor force, and most individuals employed in the Area, Carter County ranks seventh in employment rate at 96.0%.

· Love County reports the highest employment rate in May 2018 at 97.6%. Traditionally, Love County experiences high employment rates. Between January 2013 and December 2017, the county exhibited the highest five-year average among all of the Area Counties at 96.5% and was the only county across that timeframe to exceed the 96% mark.

· Coal County experiences the smallest labor force (2,247) but a relatively high employment rate at 95.7%. As noted previously in this report, compared with other counties located in the Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area, Coal County possesses the lowest total population (5,546) and second lowest population density (11 persons per square mile). Despite these figures, the employment rate has increased significantly since the 93.9% reported in January 2017.

· In comparison with the employment figures reported in the 2017 Area briefing, every county has increased the employment rate with the greatest increase of 2.4 percentage points in Choctaw County. Bryan County’s employment rate grew the least at 0.4 percentage points.

Labor Force Participation

As indicated in the Unemployment Rate section of this report, not all citizens in the Area desire to work. The Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) measures the percentage of individuals who are employed or actively seeking work as compared with the overall population, age 16 and over. Figure 12 includes labor force participation rates for Area counties as well as for the State of Oklahoma. Only three Area counties exceed the state LFPR including Love County, reporting the highest ranking LFPR in the Area at 82.2%; Pontotoc County (60.8%) and Johnston County (60.6%). Fourteen Area counties experience LFPRs below the state average, with Latimer County ranked last at 38.7%.

Figure 12: Labor Force Participation Rates for Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area, by County

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Employment Sector Codes

Several of the analyses that follow are based upon data examined using NAICS employment sector codes. The following information is provided to enhance understanding of the framework of these analyses.

NAICS is the standard utilized by federal agencies to classify businesses to collect, analyze, and publish statistical data related to the United States business economy. NAICS uses a 6-digit coding system which is structured hierarchically, beginning with 20 broad economic sectors. Over 1,000 industries are then sub-categorized within these 20 sectors. Each industry within a sector shares distinguishing economic activities. The most recent version of the classification system was implemented in 2017. Additional information is available at www.census.gov/eos/www/naics. A list of the 20 NAICS sectors and the types of industries included can be found in Appendix B at the end of this document.

Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Codes

Additional analyses that follow are based upon data examined utilizing SOC occupational codes. The following information is provided to enhance understanding of the framework of these analyses.

The SOC system is used by Federal statistical agencies to classify workers into occupational categories for the purpose of collecting, calculating, or disseminating data. All workers are classified into one of 840 detailed occupations according to their occupational definition. To facilitate classification, detailed occupations are combined to form 461 broad occupations, 97 minor groups, and 23 major groups. Detailed occupations in the SOC with similar job duties, and in some cases, skills, education, and/or training, are grouped together. Recently, the 2018 system for SOC was implemented, replacing the 2010 version. Additional information is available at www.bls.gov/soc/. A list of the 23 major groups comprising the 2018 SOC system, as well as examples of the 97 included minor groups can be found in Appendix C at the end of this document.

Top Employment Sectors

Table 4 summarizes the top 10 sectors in the Area in number of jobs available. Government is the top sector, employing approximately 47,682 residents, followed by Health Care and Social Assistance which employs 18,552. The tenth-ranked sector in the Area is Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services, which employs 4,054 individuals, only 8.5% as many as employed in the top-ranked Government sector.

Since the June 2017 Southern Workforce Development Area briefing, Manufacturing overtook Retail Trade as the third-ranked employing sector; however, it must be noted that the differential between the two sectors is only 38 jobs. The number of jobs reported in the Retail Trade sector declined while the number of jobs in Manufacturing increased. Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction also reported decreased employment.

Table 4: Top 10 Employing Industry Sectors in the Area

NAICS Sector Group

Sector

2018 Jobs

90

Government

47,682

62

Health Care and Social Assistance

18,552

31

Manufacturing

15,828

44

Retail Trade

15,790

72

Accommodation and Food Services

12,180

48

Transportation and Warehousing

6,997

23

Construction

6,575

21

Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction

4,900

81

Other Services (except Public Administration)

4,526

56

Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services

4,054

Source: EMSI 2018.2

Average Earnings by Sector

Annual employee earnings, averaged by sector, are examined in this section of the report. A chart, titled “Average Earnings by Sector, Top 10 Earning Sectors in Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area versus State of Oklahoma,” follows the analysis.

· The average earnings for all top 10 sectors in the Area fall below the average earnings for the same sector statewide. The greatest disparity in earnings is found in the Mining, Quarrying and Oil and Gas Extraction sector which exhibits a 58.8% difference between earnings in the Area and the statewide average. The smallest differential in earnings is found in the Construction sector, a gap of 5.4%. Overall, on average across all top 10 sectors, statewide earnings are 28% greater than Area earnings.

· The Utilities sector reports higher average earnings than any other sector in the Area at $108,303. This is approximately 23% below the statewide average for the same sector of $133,268.

· Despite ranking second in overall numbers of individuals employed, Health Care and Social Assistance fails to rank in the top 10 earnings for the Area. Earnings for this sector, ranked fourteenth, are $38,979 annually, 39% below the statewide average of $54,328.

· Government, the sector employing the highest number of Area residents, ranks only eighth on the earnings scale. The average earnings per job for a Government sector employee are $53,884, 10% below the state average.

· The top three earning industries in the Area are all associated with the manufacture or transportation of petroleum and petroleum products. Petroleum Refineries, an industry included in the Manufacturing sector, reports the highest average earnings in the Area at $164,828. Over 850 jobs were reported in this industry in the Area for 2018. All Other Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing, and Pipeline Transportation of Refined Petroleum Products ranked second and third with average earnings of $150,773 and $136,950 respectively. While these two industries report high earnings, employment is limited with a combined total of only 82 jobs reported in 2018.

Figure 13: Average Earnings by Sector, Top 10 Earning Sectors in Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area versus State of Oklahoma


Average Earnings by County

· The average annual earnings in the Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area ($47,461) are below the average for the state of Oklahoma ($54,560); a gap of $7,099 or approximately 15%.

· The only county in the Area which reports earnings higher than the state average is Pittsburg County at $54,694, representing a minimal difference of only $134 annually. Pittsburg County is home to the city of McAlester, Oklahoma, the second largest city in the area which boasts high employment in industries such as Government, Distributive Services, Healthcare, and Manufacturing. Pittsburg County reported 17,096 jobs this year.

In contrast, Johnston County experiences the lowest average annual earnings of $34,615; only 63% of the state average earnings and 73% of the Area average. Industry diversity is low in this county, centered predominantly in Healthcare and Government. Johnston County reports a relatively low population of approximately 11,000 residents and 4,625 jobs in 2018. As noted previously in the Commuter section of this report, most Johnston county workers leave the county for employment elsewhere, most notably for the city of Ardmore in Carter County.

Source: EMSI 2018.2

Figure 14: 2018 Average Earnings by County, State and Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area

Top Occupations by Number of Jobs

The table that follows illustrates the prevalence of jobs in the Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area.

· The top 10 occupations represent 32,203 jobs; 20.8% of the total jobs reported in the Area.

· The most prevalent job in the Area is Cashiers. In 2018, 5,191 jobs were reported in this classification with median hourly earnings of $9.03. Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand is the second ranked occupation with 3,641 jobs and median hourly earnings of $14.45.

· Eight of the top 10 occupations require the completion of a high school diploma or less. The occupation of Registered Nurses requires the minimum completion of an Associates degree while Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers must obtain a postsecondary nondegree award.

· The greatest potential for growth is found in the third-ranked occupation of Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers with an anticipated growth rate of 18% by 2028, adding 635 new jobs to the economy in the Area. The occupations of Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand and Retail Salespersons are each projected to grow by approximately 12% creating a combined total of 830 new jobs.

· While these high-employment occupations generally experience low earnings, Registered Nurses report a relatively high median wage of $27.61 per hour. Likewise, the occupation of Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers offers median hourly earnings of $19.39, marginally higher than the statewide median hourly earnings for the same occupation of $19.28. At nearly twice the minimum wage, the median hourly earnings for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand of $14.45 exceed the statewide earnings ($12.94) by the significant margin of 12%.

Table 5: Top Occupations by Number of Jobs in the Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area

Occupation

2018 Jobs

2028 Jobs

Change


Education or Experience Level

Cashiers

5,191

5,405

214

$9.03


Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand

3,641

4,099

458

$14.45



3,524

4,159

635

$19.39


Office Clerks, General

3,334

3,660

326

$11.74


Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

3,119

3,353

234

$12.99


Retail Salespersons

3,062

3,434

372

$9.74


Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food

3,017

3,314

297

$8.82


Personal Care Aides

2,576

2,851

275

$9.32


Registered Nurses

2,405

2,654

249

$27.61

Associates degree

Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners

2,335

2,524

189

$10.18



Top Paying Occupational Groups

For this analysis, individual occupations are aggregated and reported by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) major group. The table that follows highlights the top paying occupational groups by median hourly earnings.

· The top 10 occupational groups include 50,372 individual jobs; 32.6% of the total jobs reported in the Area.

· All of the top 10 highest paying occupation groups fall below the state median hourly earnings. The greatest differential in earnings is found in the major group of Legal Occupations where the Area median falls below the state average by nearly 40%.

· Management Occupations earn the highest median hourly wage in the Area at $32.78; however, this is still 13% below the Oklahoma statewide median hourly earnings for the same occupational group.

· The fifth-ranked Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations offers competitive median earnings at $24.46 per hour, but only 907 jobs are available, significantly fewer than most of the other top 10 occupations.

· Education, Training, and Library Occupations are ranked 10th in the Area with median hourly earnings of $17.34. This salary is 3% below the state average and just over one-half the earnings of the top-ranked Management Occupations.

· The top three occupational groups in the Area, ordered by the number of jobs represented, are Office and Administrative Support Occupations (23,324 jobs), Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations (13,911 jobs) and Transportation and Material Moving Occupations (13,443). While these three major groups represent over 50,000 jobs and 32.8% of the total jobs in the Area, none are included in this list due to low median earnings ranging from $9.15 to $15.64 per hour. Of the 23 defined major occupational groups, these rank 18th, 23rd, and 13th, respectively.

Table 6: Top 10 Highest Paying Occupational Groups in the Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area

SOC Code Group

Occupation Group

2018 Jobs

Regional Median Hourly Earnings

State Median Hourly Earnings

11-0000

Management Occupations

6,977

$32.78

$37.11

17-0000

Architecture and Engineering Occupations

1,302

$31.03

$34.66

15-0000

Computer and Mathematical Occupations

1,570

$24.72

$30.49

13-0000

Business and Financial Operations Occupations

4,337

$24.57

$27.61

19-0000

Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations

907

$24.46

$25.46

29-0000

Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations

8,572

$23.10

$25.55

23-0000

Legal Occupations

1,161

$21.63

$30.21

49-0000

Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

7,357

$18.03

$19.52

47-0000

Construction and Extraction Occupations

9,099

$17.63

$18.33

25-0000

Education, Training, and Library Occupations

9,090

$17.34

$17.86


Ecosystems Impact on Occupations and Salaries

Oklahoma has identified five key, in demand, industry clusters known as “ecosystems” which provide the state with a competitive advantage in a global economy. They exhibit significant potential for employment growth and provide wealth generating employment opportunities. The five key ecosystems’ demand industries produce or provide similar goods and services and therefore have similar needs in workforce, infrastructure, and economic development policy. These ecosystems include Aerospace and Defense, Agriculture and Biosciences, Energy, Information and Finance, and Transportation and Distribution.

In addition to the five statewide ecosystems, four localized complimentary ecosystems important to regional economies have been identified, including Construction, Education, Health Care, and Manufacturing. A summary table of ecosystem data pertinent to the Area is provided for ease of ecosystem comparison, followed by an analysis of each individual key and complimentary ecosystem.

Table 7: Ecosystem Comparison, Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area

Ecosystem

Estimated Net Job Growth (2018-2028)

Ecosystem Growth Rate (2018-2028)

Average Annual Earnings

Comments

Aerospace and Defense

625

11.9%

$53,486

Agriculture and Bioscience

410

5.0%

$47,622

Energy

815

9.8%

$88,886

1) Highest average earnings

Information and Financial Services

485

9.1%

$52,712

Transportation and Distribution

1,514

11.3%

$56,279

Construction

2,776

19.0%

$56,682

1) Highest rate of growth.

2) Ranked second in most newly created jobs predicted by 2028.

3) Second largest employing ecosystem in number of jobs.

Education

(-1,220)

(-9.2%)

$45,913

1) Only ecosystem predicted to decline in employment.

Health Care

2,960

13.1%

$42,566

1) Largest employing ecosystem in number of jobs.

2) Second highest rate of growth.

Manufacturing

682

11.6%

$60,029

1) Second highest average earnings.

Aerospace and Defense.

In 2018, there were 5,274 jobs in the Aerospace and Defense Ecosystem in the Area with average annual earnings per job of approximately $53,486. By 2028, employment within this ecosystem is projected to grow to 5,899, a net increase of 625 jobs and a growth rate of 11.9%. Many of these occupations are military-oriented.

The list below, ordered alphabetically by occupation, highlights a few of the occupations employed by industries within the Aerospace and Defense Ecosystem in the Area. It should be noted that these positions are not limited to employment within the Aerospace and Defense Ecosystem, but rather, may be in demand by many other sectors, industries, and ecosystems across the state.

Table 8: Sample Aerospace and Defense Ecosystem Occupations

SOC

Occupation



51-2011

Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers

$21.50


51-4011

Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal and Plastic

$15.79


51-1011

First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers

$23.68

Less than 5-years experience

11-1021


$34.96

Bachelor’s degree

49-9041

Industrial Machinery Mechanics

$22.57


51-9061

Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers

$16.12


51-4041

Machinists

$20.75


49-9071

Maintenance and Repair Workers, General

$14.68


51-4081

Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

$15.20


51-4121


$17.40



Agriculture and Bioscience.

In 2018, 8,259 jobs were reported in the Agriculture and Bioscience Ecosystem in Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area with average annual earnings per job of $47,622. By 2028, employment within this ecosystem is projected to increase by 5.0%, adding 410 newly created jobs to the Area.

The list below, ordered alphabetically by occupation, highlights some of the occupations employed by industries within the Agriculture and Bioscience Ecosystem in the Area. These positions are not limited to employment within this particular ecosystem, but rather, may be in demand by many other sectors, industries, and ecosystems across the state.

Table 9: Agriculture and Bioscience Ecosystem Sample Occupations

SOC

Occupation



45-2092

Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse

$12.52


45-2093

Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch and Aquacultural Animals

$13.52


51-1011

First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers

$23.68


53-3032


$19.39


53-7051

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators

$14.03


53-7062


$14.45


49-9071

Maintenance and Repair Workers, General

$14.68


51-3022

Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers

$10.51


51-9111

Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders

$11.85


51-3023

Slaughterers and Meat Packers

$9.99



Energy.

In 2018, there were 8,340 jobs in the Energy Ecosystem in Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area with average annual earnings per job of approximately $88,886, the highest average earnings of any ecosystem in the Area. By 2028 employment within this ecosystem is projected to grow to 9,155, increasing by a net 815 jobs; a growth rate of 9.8%.

The list below, ordered alphabetically by occupation, highlights a few of the occupations employed by industries within the Energy Ecosystem in the Area. It should be noted that these positions are not limited to employment within this ecosystem, but rather, may be in demand by many other sectors, industries, and ecosystems across the state.

Table 10: Energy Ecosystem Sample Occupations

SOC

Occupation



47-5011

Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas

$24.71


49-9051

Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers

$24.71


47-1011


$24.46


11-1021


$34.96

Bachelor’s degree

53-3032


$19.39


47-2073


$17.42


51-8093

Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers

$31.09


47-5012

Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas

$19.81


47-5013

Service Unit Operators, Oil, Gas, and Mining

$19.55


51-4121


$17.40



Information and Financial Services.

In 2018, there were 5,309 jobs in the Information and Financial Services Ecosystem in Southern Oklahoma Workforce Development Area. By 2028, that figure is expected to rise to 5,794, an increase of 485 new jobs, representing a 9.1% growth rate. The average annual earnings per job for the ecosystem are $52,712.

The list below, ordered alphabetically by occupation, highlights some of the occupations employed by industries within the Information and Financial Services Ecosystem in the Area. It should be noted that these positions are not limited to employment within the Information and Financial Services Ecosystem, but rather, may be in demand by many other sectors, industries, and ecosystems across the state.

Table 11: Information and Financial Services Ecosystem Sample Occupations

SOC

Occupation



13-2011

Accountants and Auditors

$25.77

Bachelor's degree

43-3031

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

$14.72

Some college

43-4051

Customer Service Representatives

$13.25


11-3031

Financial Managers

$32.29

Bachelor's degree

43-1011

First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers

$19.69

Less than 5 years experience

11-1021


$34.96

Bachelor's degree

43-4131

Loan Interviewers and Clerks

$13.50


13-2072

Loan Officers

$27.01

Bachelor's degree

43-4141

New Accounts Clerks

$12.94


43-3071

Tellers

$11.29



Transportation and Distribution.

In 2018, there were 13,400 jobs in the Transportation and Distribution Ecosystem in the Area with average annual earnings per job of approximately $56,279. By 2028, employment within this ecosystem is expected to grow to 14,914, an increase of 1,514 new jobs, a growth rate of 11.3%.

The list below, arranged alphabetically by occupation, highlights a few of the occupations employed by industries within the Transportation and Distribution Ecosystem in the Area. It should be noted that these positions are not limited to employment within this particular ecosystem, but rather, may be in demand by many other sectors, industries, and ecosystems across the state.

Table 12: Transportation and Distribution Ecosystem Sample Occupations

SOC

Occupation



51-9041

Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

$13.90


11-1021


$34.96

Bachelor’s degree

53-3032


$19.39


53-7051

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators

$14.03


53-7062


$14.45


53-3033

Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers

$14.79


41-4012

Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products

$22.23


43-5071

Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks

$15.09


51-9197

Tire Builders

$20.33


51-4121


$17.40



Construction (Regional Complementary).

Construction is a regional complementary ecosystem, with 14,590 reported jobs in 2018, and average annual earnings of $56,682. By 2028, employment is projected to increase to 17,366, creating 2,776 new jobs, a growth rate of 19.0%. These figures result in a number of high rankings for Construction as compared to all other ecosystem: 1) highest growth rate; 2) the second highest number of newly created jobs among all of the ecosystems; and 3) second largest employing ecosystem in the Area. For the latter two categories, Construction ranked second only to Health Care.

The list below, arranged alphabetically by occupation, highlights some of the occupations employed by industries within the Construction regional complementary ecosystem in the Area. It should be noted that these positions are not limited to employment within Construction, but rather, may be in demand by many other sectors, industries, and ecosystems across the state.

Table 13: Construction Ecosystem Sample Occupations

SOC

Occupation



47-2061

Construction Laborers

$14.20


47-2111

Electricians

$22.35

Apprenticeship

47-1011


$24.46

5 years or more experience

11-1021


$34.96

Bachelor's degree

53-3032


$19.39


53-7062


$14.45


47-2073


$17.42


oklahomaworks.gov · Web viewIn addition to overall population representation, it is helpful to...

Documents

Transcript of oklahomaworks.gov · Web viewIn addition to overall population representation, it is helpful to...