2014 National Convening Skills Presenations Portland Plan | Page 124
THE PORTLAND PLAN
Unemployment Rates, December 2011
Year change
Multnomah County
8.3%
–1.3
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA
8.6%
–1.8
Oregon
9.0%
–1.7
United States
8.5%
–0.9
Source: Oregon Employment Department, Oregon Labor Market Information System, December 2011.
While employment is increasing across the board,
given past trends, it is likely that some of Portland’s
communities of color are still experiencing
disproportionately higher unemployment rates.
As Portland works to bring more jobs to the city, it
will be crucial to support practices that significantly
reduce unemployment rates for many of Portland’s
communities of color.
Employment Status by Race/Ethnicity, 2010
Portland, Oregon
Target sector business development,
innovation, and international trade
Portland’s adopted Economic Development
Strategy calls for supporting the traded sector
industries in which Portland has a competitive
advantage — Advanced Manufacturing, Athletic
and Outdoor, Clean Technology and Software and
Research, and Commercialization — to increase
the global competitiveness of these engines of
a
economic growth and to retain and cre te livingwage jobs. The strategy includes investing in urban
innovation to position Portland at the cutting edge
of sustainable solutions and maintain the vibrancy of
our central city.
Infrastructure
In coming decades, the City government and partner
agencies must do the following to help support job
growth across all industries:
Source: American Community Survey 2006–2010, 5-year estimates.
Invest in freight mobility improvements and
transportation demand management to
reduce auto travel by increased use of transit,
telecommuting, bicycling and walking.
Implement our broadband strategic plan to
support high tech industry clusters as well as
improve our transportation network to provide
better access to employment across the city.
Continue to maintain and upgrade the
transportation and other service systems we
already have.
The city, and the region, will need to develop new
ways to fund infrastructure if we want to provide a
competitive and innovative business environment.
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April 2012 | www.pdxplan.com