By: Michael Sol Warren
Statehouse Correspondent / South Coast Today
The steady decline in Massachusetts’ unemployment rate has been aided, in part, by the growth of the health care industry.
Cohenno said the company, which operates four hospitals in the area, is currently seeking to fill 350 more positions “We work closely with the college and universities in our region to create specialty programs that are in demand in our industry; providing opportunity for the next generation of medical professionals while expanding our capabilities as a world-class healthcare provider,” he said in a statement.
Health care was Massachusetts’ fastest growing industry in October, gaining 1,800 employees statewide over September. Massachusetts healthcare employers have added 22,300 employees in the past year, contributing to the state’s 3.3 percent unemployment rate in October, the lowest it’s been since April 2001.
The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced the latest numbers on Thursday, showing a .3 percentage drop from September’s 3.6 percent unemployment level.
The latest figures mark the fourth consecutive month of falling unemployment numbers.
At the end of October, the state had 100,700 more employed residents than in October 2015. The Massachusetts unemployment rate peaked at 8.8 percent in September 2009. Since then, 327,100 more Bay State residents have found jobs.
The national unemployment rate in October was 4.9 percent.
