The state's unemployment rate rose to 15.3 percent in September, continuing the trend since June of making small monthly jumps.

The rate rose from 15.2 percent in August, according to data from the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth (DELEG). It's up from 8.9 percent in September 2008, and compares to the national rate of 9.8 percent.

But the jump represents the loss of 4,000 jobs last month, which - combined with a loss of 10,000 people from the labor pool - yields a net loss of 14,000 filled jobs statewide in September.

It appears many of the job losses are coming from the Metro Detroit area, where unemployment continues to grow at a faster rate than the state's, reaching 17.8 percent in September and nearly doubling from the same month in 2008, according to DELEG. Metro Detroit posted 184,000 job losses during the last year, while total employment fell by 179,000.

Sectors that posted job cuts included: • Government (-21,000) • Trade, transportation and utilities (-8,000) • Leisure & hospitality (-6,000) • Construction (-3,000) • Education and health services (-3,000)

Sectors that grew jobs: • Professional and business services (11,000) • Manufacturing (7,000)

Data specific to Ann Arbor's September unemployment rate will be released Oct. 22. Ann Arbor's rate was 9.5 percent in August.

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