The unemployment rate in Stanislaus County rose slightly in the month of October, with manufacturing jobs taking the deepest hit, according to the latest report from the Employment Development Department.

Stanislaus County had an unemployment rate of 7.9 percent in October, up from a revised rate of 7.5 percent in September. The rate remains below the year-ago estimate of 8.6 percent.

During October, Stanislaus County had a labor force of 247,900 with an estimated 228,400 employed and 19,500 unemployed.

The manufacturing sector saw the largest decline for the month of October, with approximately 2,300 fewer jobs than the month prior. The majority of those jobs came within food manufacturing which typically sees a drop in employment around October as the harvest season comes to a close. Food manufacturing accounted for 20.6 percent of the losses in the manufacturing sector. As a whole, the sector has about 900 more positions this year than it did last year, according to the EDD.

The only other sector in Stanislaus County to post a decline in jobs for October was in construction, which dropped about 100 positions. For the year, the sector has added about 1,000 positions.

The Stanislaus County sector showing the most growth for the month was government, which added an estimated 1,100 positions for the month. Of that number, the largest portion was for positions in state and local education districts.

The retail industry, which was down last month, added approximately 300 positions for the month in Stanislaus County.

Merced County had an October unemployment rate of 8.6 percent, up from 8.2 percent in September. San Joaquin County had an unemployment rate of 7.6 percent in October, up from 7.5 percent the month prior. California's unemployment rate was at 5.3 percent in October and the nation's was at 4.7 percent for the same time frame.

Ceres had an unemployment rate of 8.4 percent in October, up from the 8.1 percent in September. Hughson had an October rate of 11.3 percent, up from the 10.9 percent posted in September. Keyes had a rate of 12.9 percent in October, which is an increase from the 12.4 percent posted in September.

The occupations with the most help wanted ads in Stanislaus County for October were: Registered Nurses - 535; Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers - 389; Retail Salespersons - 200; First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers - 159; Teacher Assistants - 106; Customer Service Representatives - 105; Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping - 96; Security Guards - 88; and Maintenance and Repair Workers - 87.
The 10 companies that posted the most help wanted ads for October in Stanislaus County were: West Suburban Medical Center - 228; The Hospitals of Providence - 146; Sutter Health - 140; Tenet Healthcare Corporation - 77; Target Corporation - 77; TruStaff - 71; Ceres Unified School District - 67; Modesto City Schools - 53; Supplemental Health Care - 49; and Stanislaus County Office of Education - 48.