Education and health services sector drives job growth in March
The unemployment rate didn't budge, but Minnesota gained 7,800 jobs in March – driven primarily by the education and health services sector.
In a jobs report released Thursday, Minnesota's Department of Employment and Economic Development said that industry added 5,800 jobs last month, significantly outpacing the others. In the past 12 months, education and health services have gained 14,246 new jobs.
In total, the gains didn't move the unemployment needle, as it comes in at 3.7 percent for the eighth straight month. That is once again still lower than the national rate of 5.5 percent.
The other industries that added jobs in March:
- Transportation and utilities (+1,800)
- Government (+1,700)
- Manufacturing (+1,600)
- Information (+800)
- Other services (+700)
Of those that recorded job losses, professional and business services had the most, losing 3,600. The others:
- Construction (-800)
- Leisure and hospitality (-100)
- Logging and mining (-100).
The economic department provides some more detailed numbers. Here are some of the charts and graphs pulled from the most recent data.
Which regions are gaining the most?
Unemployment rate higher for blacks, Hispanics
The gap in unemployment rate between white and minorities was highlighted in a critical report last month. The most recent jobs numbers show a significant gap still exists. Questions have been raised about it in Minneapolis as well.
The long-term unemployed
Long-term unemployment defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as those who are jobless for 27 weeks or more – has been a consistent problem in the nation’s recovery from the recent recession. Why can't they seem to get jobs? According to MarketWatch, they appear undesirable to hiring companies.
