Manufacturing, Construction Jobs on the Upswing
Two major industry supersectors, which were among the hardest hit by the economic downturn, added jobs in July as the state marks its sixth straight month of employment gains, according to a report issued today by the Connecticut Department of Labor.
Manufacturing led the way with 1,000 new jobs (an increase of 0.6%). Construction and mining added 800 jobs (up 1.4%).
Other winners included leisure and hospitality (whose employment level has reached an all-time high in the state) and education and health services.
Overall, Connecticut gained 2,400 net new jobs last month.
Good News, Bad News
“The state of Connecticut had a mostly positive report on jobs,” said Peter Gioia, economist for the Connecticut Business & Industry Association.
The unemployment rate dropped to 6.6%, down a tenth of a percentage point from June 2014, but Gioia warned it might not be for a positive reason.
“Labor force participation, which had been positive in previous months, actually fell 6,300 jobs,” he said.
Not So Fast…
With only 64% of jobs lost during the recession now restored, Connecticut’s overall gains pale in comparison to the full-throated national recovery (100%) and that of our neighbor state Massachusetts (150%).
“Obviously, if we were on par with the U.S. rate of recovery, our job gains would be higher and our unemployment rate lower,” said Gioia.
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