There is a silver lining when it comes to jobs in Phoenix and around the state.

That is according to the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity, which said job gains were demolished in 30 days with the metropolitan area unemployment rate increasing from 3.7 percent in December to 12.6 percent in April. However, compared to the rest of the country, Phoenix did much better, said Eric Jay Toll, communications manager with the city of Phoenix. He said around the country the unemployment rate dropped to 14.7 percent.

While job losses in the metropolitan area service industries were significant in April compared to that month in 2019, some employment trends are improving. Phoenix revealed strong job gains in the advanced industry sectors, Toll said. The wholesale trade industry added 1,200 positions while financial activities created 9,500 jobs. The Phoenix metro area added 22,100 jobs between the advanced industries.

Even with the job losses in April, the workforce that month was still larger than it was in Phoenix during the pre-Great Recession peak month of October of 2007. The city of Phoenix put a big emphasis on creating an export economy and guided the state to three consecutive record years of export growth. Data reveals that new migrants to Arizona move here with more college degrees and high levels of professional skills, a mix that helps make the Phoenix workforce more attractive.

To learn more about job trends in Phoenix, visit phoenix.gov/newsroom/ced/1340.