Connecticut sees third straight month of jobs growth

Connecticut added an estimated 3,600 jobs in September, its third straight month of jobs growth, the state Department of Labor reported Thursday.

The number of jobs added in August was changed to 1,200, down from the 2,800 reported a month ago. The state’s unemployment rate remained at 3.6 percent, unchanged from the previous month.

The state now provides 1,699,200 jobs.

“September was another good month for payroll job growth in Connecticut, pushing us above any level seen last year,” Andy Condon, director of the department’s Office of Research, said in a statement. “However, almost all the growth came from an unusually high increase in the education component of the Education and Health Services sector. We will have to wait and see if this level holds up in future months.”

The Education and Health Services sector added 4,300 jobs last month. The education subsector includes private elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, professional and business schools, technical and trade schools, and educational support services. The government supersector, which includes all federal, state and local employment, including public higher education and Native American casino employment on tribal land, lost 200 jobs in September and remains down 1,700 jobs year over year.

September was a mixed month for two of the state’s other major employment sectors, with manufacturing gaining 600 jobs and financial activities losing 100 jobs.

“Overall, it’s a month that on the face of it is positive but still needs to be watched,” said Pete Gioia, the Connecticut Business and Industry Association’s economic adviser. “Hopefully, we will continue to see gains in employment throughout the rest of the year.”

Gioia said Connecticut has added 2,400 new jobs this year while exhibiting the slowest rate of jobs growth of any New England state.

The Norwich-New London-Westerly labor market, one of six such areas in the state, was the only one to experience a job decline in the month, losing 500 positions.