Oregon and US Recovery Jobs Created: From One of ORIGINAL Recovery Programs, the WPA.

With recipient reports being updated, there will be lots of data coming your way about Recovery Act jobs data.

That got me thinking about how many jobs were created with the original Recovery programs, like the WPA, in the 1930's. (And NO, I was NOT around when those programs were created).

You just have to love those Internet tubes. I was able to track down a final WPA report with jobs information and present a summary in a one page PDF HERE. (Can you imagine the paperwork required to report all of these jobs and wages in the 1930's!). Some highlights:

• Over entire history of WPA program Oregon full time equivalent jobs totalled 56,667.
• In year ending June 30,1936 Oregon WPA FTE jobs totalled 7,791.
• In year ending June 30,1937 Oregon WPA FTE jobs totalled 8,671.
• Average hourly wages for these Oregon WPA jobs were 54 cent an hour over the life of the program, and 45 cents in the first year (1936).
• Caveat--WPA jobs obviously were NOT all the jobs created by Recovery programs in the 1930's. Many other agencies like BPA/Interior/Forest Service likely created many more 1,000's of jobs, too.

Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.