RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The Virginia Employment Commission says the state saw stronger job gains in 2011 than first estimated.
The state agency says Virginia's nonfarm employment grew by 42,300 jobs, or 1.2 percent, in 2011 after annual revisions. It was originally estimated that the state gained 22,300 jobs, or 0.6 percent, for the year.
Virginia's annual unemployment rate averaged 6.2 percent in 2011, up from the 2010 average rate of 6.9 percent. The national average rate for 2011 was 8.9 percent, down from 9.6 percent in 2010.
Officials say eight Virginia industrial sectors added jobs last year. They were: professional and business services, private education and health services, trade and transportation, leisure and hospitality, government, finance, miscellaneous services and mining
Virginia's job losses in 2011 were in construction, manufacturing and the information sector.
