Employment increased by 36,000 in August. At the same time, the unemployment rate edged up 0.1 percentage points to 8.1%, as more people entered the labour force.
Monthly gains in employment averaged 13,000 in July and August, compared with an average monthly increase of 51,000 during the first six months of the year.
Employment in educational services increased by 68,000 in August, rebounding from a decline of a similar magnitude the previous month. Similar offsetting movements in employment have occurred in this sector in recent summers (see Note to readers). With this gain in August, employment in this industry is back to levels observed during the first six months of the year.
There were also increases in professional, scientific and technical services and in natural resources in August. These gains, however, were dampened by losses in manufacturing; business, building and other support services; and information, culture and recreation.