While the area’s unemployment rate increased and more jobs were lost over the month and year, the education industry was the only industry to see a yearly increase in employment, while Phoenix government jobs saw the smallest yearly decline.
During January, the Phoenix area’s unemployment rate increased from 8.2 percent to 9.2 percent, following an 8.1 percent increase during December 2009. Despite the latest increase, the area’s rate is still lower than the national unemployment rate of 9.7 percent.
The Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale area had a total non-farm employment of 1,674,800 workers during January, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is down from 1,712,900 workers during December and a 5.5 percent decrease from last year.
No industries managed to see a monthly increase in employment. However, employment in the mining and logging industry remained even over the month, with 2,900 jobs. Only one industry saw a yearly increase in employment.
The education and health services industry employed 228,100 workers during January, down from 230,700 workers during December, but a 3.6 percent increase from January 2009.
The government industry saw the smallest decline in jobs during January. The industry employed 238,200 workers during January, down from 242,100 workers during December and a 2.9 percent decrease from last year.
In addition, the construction industry took the biggest hit over the year. The industry employed 82,600 workers during January, down from 84,800 workers during December and a 25 percent decrease from January 2009.
Other industries that saw an over-the-year decrease in employment include:
- mining and logging by 12.1 percent
- manufacturing by 11.4 percent
- trade, transportation and utilities by 3 percent
- information by 8.4 percent
- financial activities by 5.2 percent
- professional and business services by 7.6 percent
- leisure and hospitality by 5.6 percent
- other services by 5.7 percent
Tags: Phoenix government jobs