KPLU Local News
(2010-03-02)
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A recent job fair in Seattle drew hundreds of interested applicants. Though the state's economy added jobs, the jobless rate inched up.
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January's numbers show the first monthly gain in employment here since November 2008. Chief economist Dave Wallace says Washington added 12,400 jobs compared to the month before.
"Every sector except two grew."
He says the most jobs added were in retail sales, education and health care and construction. Leisure and hospitality, professional and business services and manufacturing were also strong.
"It really is pretty broad. And it's not small numbers. I mean, we're talking in a lot of cases nearly 3,000 jobs, in a handful of these sectors."
Wallace says this is encouraging news, but added that any recovery is likely to be uneven. He says as job prospects improve, it's typical to see more people returning to the market. In January, that sent the state's unemployment rate up a notch, to 9.3%, slightly outpacing the growth in local jobs.
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