Colorado employers added 8,600 nonfarm payroll jobs from January to February, the biggest monthly increase in a year, according to a report Friday from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.
Construction employment, on a seasonally-adjusted basis, saw the biggest monthly gain, 2,000 jobs, followed by trade, transportation and utilities with 1,900 and manufacturing with 1,300.
The strongest hiring the past year, on a percentage-basis, has come in mining and logging, and appears to be driven mostly by the rebound in oil and gas drilling in Weld County.
Employment there is up 4,000 jobs, which equates to a 14.3 percent increase. By comparison, job growth statewide is up 2.3 percent the past year.
“We are continuing to see strong growth in that sector,” said Ryan Gedney, a senior labor economist with the state.
Colorado’s unemployment rate held steady at 3 percent in February, steady with January, but up from a 2.7 percent rate a year ago. Nationally, the unemployment rate is at 4.1 percent. About 7,600 additional people participated in the labor force last month, which is now at 3.04 million.
The average workweek rose to 33.3 hours from 32.9 hours over the year, while hourly earnings increased from $27.44 to $28.32.
