The majority of states have recovered labor forces since the end of the Great Recession, but Wyoming has actually seen the steepest drop in the country.
Since 2009, Wyoming has shed 15,700 workers from its workforce. That's a five percent fall, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics’ numbers. West Virginia — a state similarly reliant on the energy industry — follows close behind at 4.47 percent. Only 12 states saw a decline in workforce.
Jim Robinson, the principal economist for Wyoming’s economic analysis division, said it’s tied to the boom-bust nature of the energy industry. Wyoming has lost thousands of jobs in the past decade due to shifts in pricing and demand for coal, oil, and gas — not to mention corporate decisions leading to financial difficulties. Robinson said between 2014 and 2016, oil jobs fell by nearly 10,000. And when people get laid-off, they often leave.
“We saw booming economies in Colorado and Utah. That acts as a draw on the people of WY,” Robinson said.
Utah has seen the largest growth nationally in its workforce - up 16 percent.
Robinson said jobs are starting to come back thanks in part to better crude oil prices. He wrote that, two years ago, oil and gas had 10,200 jobs and has now improved to 12,500 with better pricing.
"It looks like our job growth is probably closer to around 1000 to 1500 jobs which is about half a percent job growth,” Robinsons said, up from the same time last year. "But yet it’s still job growth. That’s what we’re trying to keep track of, as we recover from our energy recession.”
While mining has been the primary driver of job growth, Robinson says tourism and health services have also contributed.