Employers here added 4,600 jobs from August to September, as gains in government, education and health services outpaced losses in construction, arts and entertainment, and tourism.
September’s hiring reversed job losses in August but weren’t enough to sway the unemployment rate, which was unchanged from August and a year earlier at 9.6%.
Employment here stood at 1.35 million nonfarm workers in September, according to the state Employment Development Department.
Seasonal gains in education caused the monthly rebound with government posting the largest increase of 5,200 jobs.
Local government climbed to 5,800 jobs as teachers returned to school after summer recess.
Educational and health services sectors added 4,200 jobs. The education segment accounted for nearly 81% of those jobs.
Corporate hiring, which led private sector job growth in August with 3,700 new positions, took a step back in September, as the key professional and business services segment shed 900 jobs from a month earlier.
The construction industry, the hardest hit in the recession and real estate crash, reported the largest monthly decline losing 1,500 jobs.
Nearly 80% of the losses were in specialty trade contractors, which typically are involved with new projects, additions, alterations, maintenance and repairs.
Arts, entertainment and recreation decreased by 1,400 jobs.
The leisure and hospitality sector lost 1,300 jobs following the summer tourism season and the end of the Major League Baseball’s regular season as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim missed the playoffs.
On a yearly basis, the county gained jobs at a small clip.
Employers here in September added 13,400 jobs, a 1% gain from a year earlier. That marked the third month of consecutive yearly gains.
The professional and business services sector reported the largest yearly growth adding 10,900 jobs. Nearly 60% of the gain was in administrative and support services, up 6,400 jobs.
These often were the first eliminated by companies when the downturn began in late 2007.
Leisure and hospitality had the second largest yearly gain with the addition of 7,800 jobs, the same number as last month.
Hotels and restaurants led those gains adding 6,000 jobs, a sign consumers are spending some discretionary income and not staying home.
Construction posted the largest decline of 6,900 jobs. The specialty trade contractors segment accounted for 61% percent of the losses.
