Healthcare jobs in Rhode Island grow
Posted on December 4, 2017
The number of healthcare jobs in Rhode Island climbed slightly last month.
The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for October 2017 was 4.2 percent, unchanged from the September rate. Over the year, the unemployment rate is down nine-tenths of a percentage point from the October 2016 rate of 5.1 percent.
The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.1 percent in October 2017, down one-tenth of a percentage point from the previous month and down seven-tenths of a percentage point over the year.
The Accommodation & Food Services sector continued to trend down in October, losing 700 jobs. Over the year, the number of jobs within the Accommodation & Food sector is up 1,200.
The number of jobs in the Educational Services sector also fell for the second time in two months. After losing 800 jobs in September, the sector lost another 500 in October. Employment within this sector is down 600 jobs from October 2016.
Three employment sectors, Arts, Entertainment & Recreation, Construction, and Wholesale Trade, were each down 200 jobs in October. Employment in both Construction and Wholesale Trade are up over the year, by 2,200 and 800 jobs, respectively, over the year, while the number of jobs in Arts, Entertainment & Recreation is down 200 from October 2016.
A loss of 100 jobs each was reported in the Government and Other Services sectors. Other Services employment is up 200 from a year ago, while Government employment is unchanged.
Offsetting October’s losses was a gain of 700 in Professional & Business Services and 600 jobs in Financial Activities. The number of jobs in Professional & Business Services is down 700 over the year, while the number of jobs in Financial Activities remains unchanged.
Rhode Island’s largest employment sector, Health Care & Social Assistance, was up 400 jobs from September and up 300 jobs from October 2016.
The Retail Trade sector reported a gain of 100 jobs in October. The number of jobs within this sector is up 200 over the year.
