Sonoma County's unemployment rate fell sharply in April to 5.3 percent, the lowest level in nearly six years, as job creation accelerated for the third straight month.
The jobless rate dropped from 6.2 percent in March, according to the state Employment Development Department. A year ago it was 6.7 percent.
Employment and economic development officials said the job numbers demonstrate significant gains in the county's economy.
"They reflect the confidence of the many business people that I'm dealing with," said Carolyn Stark, executive director of Sonoma County BEST, a job creation program.
When employers were hiring a few years ago, they mainly sought veteran workers who "could hit the ground running," Stark said. She called it a positive development that more companies now are willing to invest in training for less-experienced employees.
"They're going to be growing these folks on the job," she said.
The county's jobless rate remained well below the state's rate of 7.8 percent, as well as below the national rate of 6.3 percent.
The last time the county had an unemployment rate this low was May 2008, when it stood at 5 percent.
Unemployment has now been cut in half since the winter of 2010, when 28,500 Sonoma County residents were out of work and unable to find a job. In April, 13,700 residents were unemployed.
"That's really a big drop," said Ben Stone, executive director of the county Economic Development Board.
Hiring accelerated for the third straight month. Local employers have added 4,300 jobs since January, boosting employment to 193,100.
The county gained 1,700 jobs between March and April, according to the state. The top sector for gains was business and professional services, which added 800 jobs. The construction sector added 500 jobs, and state and local governments, 300 jobs.
Stone called the gains in construction jobs a healthy sign for a building industry that suffered much during the past five years.
"It's just another indicator of people investing in the economy," he said.
The leisure and hospitality sector shed 400 jobs last month, but the drop wasn't in hotels, restaurants or bars, according to the state. Instead, the losses may have occurred in arts, entertainment and recreation businesses.
The county had the seventh-lowest unemployment rate among California's 58 counties. Marin County had the lowest rate, at 3.9 percent. Napa ranked fourth at 5 percent; Mendocino, 16th, at 6.7 percent; and Lake, 37th, at 10.2 percent.
Compared to last year, state and local government agencies based in the county added 4,600 jobs. About 2,000 of those came from a category that includes Indian tribes, presumably because of the Graton Resort & Casino opening in November.
The trade, transportation & utilities sector has added 1,300 jobs within the last year. The sector, which includes retail and whole businesses and trucking and warehouse companies, has added jobs or kept at the same level on a year-over-year basis for 45 straight months.
"It's been consistently doing well for the last three and a half years," said Linda Wong, North Bay labor consultant for the state's Economic Development Department.
Looking ahead, Stark said that BEST is working to help expand the food industry and tech manufacturing as part of a strategic effort to broaden the types of companies that do business here.
"We need to build a diverse economy that can better withstand the business cycles that we may encounter in the future," she said.
Stone said the Economic Development Board is making a similar effort for such smaller sectors as craft brewing, cottage and farmstead foods and outdoor recreation and biking.
The board also is working on efforts to better attract and train a skilled workforce.
At the current jobless rate, Stone said, "employers will now have a concern about finding talent."
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