Rhode Island Adds 400 Manufacturing and 500 Construction Jobs in November

PROVIDENCE, RI – Governor Gina M. Raimondo released the following statement today on the November Jobs Report, which showed that Rhode Island added 400 manufacturing jobs and 500 construction jobs last month:

«In 2014, Rhode Island had the highest unemployment rate in America, but there was no reason for that to be the case: Our leaders at the time just weren’t investing in our people. Over the last three years, we’ve invested in our hardworking, talented and determined neighbors. In recent years, Rhode Island has expanded access to job training, particularly for Rhode Islanders with manufacturing skills. Because of that focus, we’ve created 1,500 manufacturing jobs in the last year.»

Overall, Rhode Island added 600 new jobs in November. October jobs numbers were revised upwards by 1,300. The initial October report showed a loss of 200 jobs, but the revised data found that Rhode Island actually added 1,100 that month.

The State’s unemployment rate, which was as high as 8.8 percent in 2014 and the highest in the nation for much of that year, is now 4.3 percent. Prior to Governor Raimondo’s term in office, the last time Rhode Island’s unemployment rate was 4.3 percent or lower was March 2001.