Kern County’s unemployment rate fell to 10 percent in May, down from 10.3 percent in April.
Rosendo Flores is a labor market consultant with the Employment Development Department and said agriculture is driving growth.
“Farm employment led the month-over gain, with a normal seasonal increase of 11,300 jobs, while government improved by 600 jobs,” he said.
It’s the lowest May unemployment rate in Kern County since 2008, when it was at 8.8 percent.
But not all of the news is good.
Flores said another 200 oilfield jobs were lost in May. The biggest loser, however, was the educational and health services industry, which trimmed 300 jobs.
– Anthony Pollreisz