Vermont’s unemployment rate fell in May to 3.1 percent, according to the Vermont Department of Labor, though seasonally-adjusted data show the state’s economy lost 800 jobs.
The state’s labor force grew by 450 from April to May, according to seasonally-adjusted data, while the number of unemployed Vermonters fell from 11,000 in April to 10,800 in May.
Labor Commissioner Annie Noonan said in a news release that the labor department is focusing on cultivating a workforce through training, and by educating young Vermonters about opportunities in the state.
“In the last year, the Vermont economy has seen employment growth across many sectors,” Noonan said in the statement. “Construction, non-durable manufacturing, professional and business services, health and social services and leisure and hospitality industries have led the way.”
But most of those sectors actually didn’t fare very well between April and May.
Seasonally-adjusted data show that:
- Vermont lost 1,000 construction jobs from April to May, the largest loss by any economic sector in the state over that period. The sector has 400 more jobs than it did in May 2015.
- Non-durable goods manufacturing was up by about 100 jobs from April to May, but still has 100 fewer jobs than it did in May 2015.
- Professional and business services lost 600 jobs from April to May, though the sector has 400 more jobs than it did in May 2015.
- Health care and social assistance jobs were up by 200 from April to May, and that sector had 1,800 more jobs in May of this year than it did in May 2015.
- The leisure and hospitality industry actually shrank by 200 jobs from April to May, though the May numbers show a year-over-year increase of 300 jobs.
The full employment report is available here.
