The effects of low oil and natural gas prices are apparent in this month’s jobs numbers for Wyoming. Although overall employment in Wyoming grew, the oil and gas sector shed more than a thousand jobs from this time last year.
“The job losses have still been concentrated in the mining industry. We just haven’t seen the spillover into other industries,” said Jim Robinson, the state economist, although he cautioned that that job losses in oil and gas support sectors could take longer to show up.
Despite the losses in oil and gas, Wyoming's unemployment rate remains below the national average, and Robinson says other sectors will likely benefit.
“Couldn't pick a better time to have low gasoline prices because now people are thinking about where they can travel by car and I think it’s definitely going to reflect in a real strong tourism season for the state,” he said.
Overall, employment in Wyoming increased by 4,400 jobs or 1.5 percent over last February.