Although employment saw a slight yearly drop, more Clearwater jobs were added last month.

During March, Florida's unemployment rate dropped from 11.5 percent to 11.1 percent, which is the first time it's been that low since November 2009. Unfortunately, the state's rate is still much higher than the national average of 8.8 percent.

The March unemployment rate for the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area has yet to be released, but the area had a rate of 11.5 percent during February, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Clearwater area employed about 1,122,500 workers during March, which is up from 1,117,700 workers during February, but a .1 percent decrease from the same time last year.

Here's a look at how each industry fared over the month:

• Leisure and hospitality - 3,500 jobs.
• Trade, transportation, and utilities - Added 1,800 jobs.
• Education and health services - Added 700 jobs.
• Manufacturing - Added 500 jobs.
• Professional and business services - Added 500 jobs.
• Other services - Even at 42,200 jobs.
• Mining and logging - Even at 400 jobs.
• Information - Lost 100 jobs.
• Government - Lost 200 jobs.
• Financial activities - Lost 500 jobs.
• Construction - Lost 1,400 jobs.

On a yearly basis, each industry stacked up as follows:

• Leisure and hospitality - Increased by 1.5 percent.
• Education and health services - Increased by 1.1 percent.
• Government - Increased by .6 percent.
• Trade, transportation, and utilities - Increased by .4 percent.
• Professional and business services - Increased by .3 percent.
• Manufacturing - Decreased by .2 percent.
• Financial activities - Decreased by 1.6 percent.
• Other services - Decreased by 1.9 percent.
• Information - Decreased by 3.1 percent.
• Construction - Decreased by 7.3 percent.
• Mining and logging - Decreased by 20 percent.

Labels: Clearwater jobs