Things are seemingly on the upswing for Iowans looking for work, according to a new report that states unemployment has dropped to 4.7 percent for the month of September, down from 6 percent in August. There's good news that more companies are reportedly hiring, or re-hiring, after a five-month trend of downturns due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Unemployment, according to Iowa's News Now, was at its most recent peak in April when an estimated 110,000 people were without a job. Each month since then has seen an improvement and increased hiring. There were an estimated 76,600 people on the unemployment ranks in Iowa last month, according to Iowa Workforce Development.

The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports the industries seeing the biggest rate of increase in workers back on the job were in leisure and hospitality, manufacturing and trade/transportation/utilities. Construction took a downturn (odd, given the post-derecho work needing done) as did professional and business services.

Iowa Workforce Development Director Beth Townsend told KCRG her office has awarded over $10 million in grants to help toward job training and apprenticeships for those looking to back into the workforce.

All this puts Iowa as the state with the fifth-lowest jobless rate in the nation.

For the record, the overall U.S. unemployment rate for September was 7.9 percent.

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