When it comes to the Massachusetts job market, the song remains the same.
The state’s unemployment rate rose to 4.6 percent in April, the fourth straight monthly increase, as more people began job searches and hiring remained muted, according to federal data released Friday by the Healey administration.
The uptick, from 4.4 percent in March, put the state’s jobless rate at its highest level in more than 3 1/2 years. The national rate in April, which was reported two weeks ago, was 4.2 percent.
Massachusetts employers added 7,700 jobs last month. The gain was led by three sectors: trade, transportation, and utilities; construction; and education and health services. That followed an increase of 2,800 jobs in March, which was revised lower from 4,400 jobs.
Even with last month’s improvement, local hiring has lagged behind the country overall. Over the past year, employment in Massachusetts has barely grown while the number of US jobs increased 1.2 percent.
The combination of more residents looking for work — the ranks of job-hunters increased by 7,800 last month — and lackluster job creation is pushing up the unemployment rate. The mismatch could worsen if President Trump’s tariff war slows economic growth or triggers a recession.
A recent report by Boston University’s Mark Williams estimates that Massachusetts could lose as many as 79,000 jobs as the result of tariffs, federal funding cuts, and tougher immigration restrictions.
“As Massachusetts’ labor market continues to grow, the Healey-Driscoll Administration is focused on connecting jobseekers to training opportunities that will drive employment and connecting employers to skilled talent looking for their next career move,” Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones said in a statement.
The administration this week said it would allocate $6.8 million to train and hire more than 1,100 workers in health care, life sciences, technology, construction, and other industries statewide, and $22 million to hire over 6,500 youth and young adults for summer and year-round employment.
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