April jobs gains were widespread across various industries and sectors. Temporary help services added 26,200 jobs, the seventh straight month of gains. Manufacturing added 44,000 jobs, its fourth straight month of gains. Manufacturing has added 101,000 since December, with durable goods manufacturing adding 88,000, and nondurable goods manufacturing adding 13,000 in that period. Retail trade added 12,400 jobs in April, while food services added 21,000. Health care added 20,100 in April.
Construction saw an increase of 14,000 in April, which was its second month of gains, (though the March gains are questionable due to weather-effects-corrections from the February snow-storms). Although residential construction saw declines, nonresidential and heavy/civil engineering construction each saw gains.
While now adding jobs, the labor market remains 7.8 million payroll jobs below where it was at the start of the recession in December 2007. –from Heidi Shierholz’ April Jobs Picture.