Who's hiring in Florida?

With the economic recovery underway, nearly every industry in Florida is hiring. But some sectors are stronger than others.

The strongest industry of late is construction, which saw a 7.2% annual-percentage gain in employment in May, according to the latest seasonally adjusted data available from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. Within the construction industry, heavy and civil engineering construction posted the biggest annual gain, with 8.5% growth.

A rebound in tourism statewide also boosted employment growth in the hospitality sector, by an annual rate of 4.9% in May. Within that industry, food and drinking places reported the biggest employment gain, up 5.8%.

Education and health services also posted a relatively strong 4.3% employment gain in the same annual period. Elementary and secondary schools posted the highest gain within that industry, at 6.9%, followed by hospitals at 5.7%.

The only sector to suffer an annual employment loss was information, down 0.2%. That sector includes publishing, broadcasting, telecommunications and Internet service providers.
Government posted an annual .5% gain overall in employment in May, the data shows. The federal government, with a 1.1% increase, led the way. State government employment grew 0.6% and local-government employment grew 0.4%.