MIDLAND, Texas — Good signs in the Permian Basin and across the state of Texas, unemployment rates seem to slowly be shrinking.
That is according to new data from the Texas Workforce Commission.
The biggest reason for the decrease in unemployment: the state opening back up.
What did it in West Texas? Not the oil and gas industry picking up again, instead, it was something that might come as a surprise.
“COVID has really disrupted millions of Texas way of life," Willie Taylor, chief executive officer of the commission’s Workforce Solutions Permian Basin, said. "I don’t really think anyone has been safe, whether it’s the medical field or truck driving.”
This disruption was felt by all. But what goes up, must come down.
“With the governor opening things back up in the Permian Basin a lot of those spikes were in the leisure/hospitality area," Taylor said.
That sector added 800 jobs from May to June in Midland and Odessa.
Midland reported an unemployment rate of 9.6%, that is down from 12.6% from May.
Odessa reported an unemployment rate of 13%, that is down from 16.5% in May.
But even with the drop, Odessa has the highest unemployment rate among the commission’s 26 metropolitan statistical areas in Texas.
“Everybody’s watching the Basin," Taylor said. "We’re still the largest oil producers in the world and we know the industry will come back, it’ll just take time.”
Taylor suggested that it might get worse here before it gets better, but that we are making progress.
“With the big spike right now in COVID in Texas. I mean we could lose it real quick and it could affect those leisure areas,” Taylor said.
In the meantime, Taylor recommends those unemployed to work on what he calls “upskilling.”
This could mean going back to school or getting certified for certain skills, like welding or mechanics.
Upskilling can help people get plugged back into work easier.
For the full unemployment stats from the Texas Workforce Commission click here.