While the state saw its highest unemployment rate in 23 years, Nevada construction jobs are experiencing more than a 10 percent decrease when compared to last year.

As of September 2008, Nevada’s construction industry employed 117,700 workers, down from 119,900 workers during August. This is a 10.5 percent decrease from last year, according to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Nevada had a total non-farm employment of 1,280,200 during September, down from 1,284,400 during August and a decrease of .5 percent from last year. During September the state saw an unemployment rate of 7.3 percent, up from 7.1 percent in August and its highest unemployment rate since 1985. On top of this, more people are filing claims for unemployment insurance and more people are having trouble finding work.

“Nevada continues to feel the economic pinch that the rest of the nation is experiencing,” Bill Anderson, chief economist for the Nevada Department of Employment, said in an article by the Las Vegas Review Journal. “What was a lingering problem for consumers and commercial developers quickly became a full-scale emergency as credit for doing daily business dried up.

“The bailout should free up credit, allowing commercial development to continue,” he added. “We are all holding our breath waiting to see how much of a lifeline the bailout will provide. However, it will be months before it will reflect in the unemployment rate. There simply is no quick fix.”

Other industries that saw an over-the-year decrease in employment during September include:

  • manufacturing by .6 percent
  • information by 2.5 percent
  • financial activities by 3.3 percent
  • professional and business services by 2.7 percent

The industries that saw an over-the-year employment increase during September include:

  • trade, transportation and utilities by 1.5 percent
  • education and health services by 3.6 percent
  • leisure and hospitality by .4 percent
  • other services by 1.4 percent
  • government by 3.9 percent

The natural resources and mining industry employed 12,100 workers, the same as last year.