As Oklahoma City’s manufacturing sector continues to expand, a new generation of skilled workers is stepping up to power that growth. On July 7, the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber celebrated the latest milestone for its workforce development efforts with a special signing event for Oklahoma’s first chapter of the nationally recognized Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (OKC FAME) program.
The Oklahoma City metropolitan statistical area posted a 3.2% unemployment rate in June, up from a revised 2.8% in May, according to preliminary data.
The Greater Oklahoma City aerospace industry remains a cornerstone of the regional economy, generating $8.8 billion in goods and services and supporting more than 80,200 jobs, according to the latest Greater Oklahoma City Region Aerospace and Aviation Industry Survey and Economic Impact Assessment released by the Greater OKC Chamber and RegionTrack, Inc.
The Oklahoma City metro area posted a preliminary unemployment rate of 2.8% in May, up from a revised 2.4% in April. Despite the monthly increase, the metro continues a 46-month streak of unemployment below 4%, the longest such run in the city’s modern history.
BioTC, the state’s first biomanufacturing workforce training center, celebrated the completion of its first training cohort, held April 7-11. Led by the Oklahoma City Innovation District, the program prepares participants for entry-level roles in the biotechnology field.
Oklahoma City ranked No. 1 lowest unemployment rate in April among the 56 U.S. metropolitan areas with a population of over 1 million, signaling strength in the local economy. The metro’s 2.3% unemployment rate was down from 3.0% in March.
Unemployment in the Oklahoma City metro area remained low through the early months of 2025, with slight increases in January and February. Despite the month-to-month changes, the area continued its streak of unemployment below 4%, a sign of ongoing labor market stability both locally and across much of the state.
Oklahoma is attracting thousands of new residents each year, drawn by its affordable housing, job opportunities, and quality of life. In 2023 alone, more than 25,000 people moved to the state, according to a recent migration study by StorageCafe using the latest U.S. Census data. This steady influx placed Oklahoma among the top 10 states for net migration.
