Commerce report demonstrates positive economic recovery in Oklahoma cities, counties

Significant employment increases for the Oklahoma City metro area from 2010-11 included in wholesale trading (8.3 percent), manufacturing (5.6 percent) and in professional, scientific and technical services (5.2 percent.)

Nearly all sectors

Increases were experienced in nearly all sectors except in government employees, military and company management positions, according to the report.

Don Hackler, spokesman for the state Commerce Department, said states like Oklahoma and Texas have become more attractive for companies and prospective employees because the unemployment rate is low and plenty of high-paying jobs have been created and remain unfilled, particularly in manufacturing.

“Part of it is that we've worked for several years to help diversify the economic bases of the state, to go away from primarily agriculture and energy and increasing manufacturing,” Hackler said.

New aerospace incentives encouraged Boeing to expand at its engineering center near Tinker Air Force Base, and state leadership has been successful in developing a pro-business climate here, Hackler said.