Florida real estate picks up jobs while construction loses them

September 16, 2011 01:30PM

For the 11th consecutive month, the State of Florida posted job gains, according to a report released today by the Agency for Workforce Innovation. Though the month-over-month gains in August were modest -- just 0.1 percent -- in 2011 the state has gained 71,600 jobs bringing the unemployment rate down to 10.7 percent from 11.6 percent in the prior year August. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 9.1 percent in August. 

Those industries most closely connected with real estate were a mixed bag, according to the report. The construction industry performed fourth worst of all industries shedding 1,900 jobs, or 0.6 percent of its workforce in the month of August. Florida has lost more construction jobs -- 17,600, or 5.1 percent of its total employment number -- than jobs in any other industry, save government, in the past 12 months. 

On the other hand, the real estate, rental and leasing industry added 2,700 jobs in August, or 1.8 percent of its workforce. That marks the highest percentage point gain of any industry in the state. In the last 12 months its gained 6,200 jobs, (or an additional 4.1 percent from last year's level). -- Adam Fusfeld