Long Island up 12,100 jobs in year

Students attend a jobs fair at Hofstra University. Companies are... — Students attend a jobs fair at Hofstra University. Companies are hiring more than cutting. Credit: Newsday File / Audrey C. Tiernan

By Carrie Mason-DraffenMarch 24, 2011

The Long Island economy had 12,100 more private-sector jobs in February of this year than it had the year before, according to preliminary data just released by the state Labor Department.

It was the second-biggest jump since the Island's economy started adding jobs again in July 2010, after a nearly two-year drought. The biggest jump was in the November period, when 13,000 jobs were added.

But the latest private-sector number, a 0.9% increase, to 990,100, was weakened by the loss of 1,500 jobs in the public, or government sector.

The private-sector number jumped significantly from the 5,600 jobs reported for the January period. The department will release the local unemployment rate in a separate report on Tuesday.

The biggest gains by sector were:

-- Educational and health services, +5,100

-- Leisure and hospitality, +3,800

-- Professional and business services, +3,500

-- Trade, transportation and utilities, +3,400

-- Other services, +2,700

The biggest loses by sector were:

-- Natural resources, mining and construction, -3,400

-- Information, -1,300

-- Government, 1,500

-- Manufacturing, -1,200

-- Financial activities, -500.