The government shutdown has delayed the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ jobs report, but private data suggests the market remains challenging, though there are a few bright spots for job seekers.

In the latest publicly available BLS jobs report, employers added just 22,000 jobs in August. Most industries were flat or shrank, but health care and social assistance drove much of the gains, adding about 31,000 and 16,000 jobs, respectively. Leisure and hospitality, which includes restaurants and bars, also added 28,000 jobs in August. Still, other sectors' losses offset those gains.

Over the past several months, health care and social assistance have stood out as reliable engines of job growth. In the last three months of BLS data, health care added about 114,000 jobs and social assistance added around 63,000 – together accounting for nearly 3 in 4 added in that same period.

Over the past year of BLS data, these two sectors accounted for a little more than half of all new jobs, with health care adding about 499,000 and social assistance adding around 333,000.

The market may be tough for job seekers outside these industries, but staffing firm experts say there are still opportunities if you know where to look.

What jobs fall under health care and social assistance?

Under BLS’ data framework, the health care sector includes ambulatory health care services (such as outpatient care), hospitals, and nursing and residential care facilities. The social assistance sector covers individual and family services, community food and housing, emergency and other relief services, vocational rehabilitation services, and child care services.

In health care, job growth has been relatively steady across subsectors, while individual and family services have seen strong demand within social assistance.

On the clinical side, employers are looking to fill roles for registered nurses, radiologic technicians, physical therapists, nursing assistants, phlebotomists, and home health aids, according to Raj Namboothiry, senior vice president of Manpower North America, a staffing firm.

There is also demand for non-clinical roles. Jessica Johnson, vice president of the administrative and customer support practice at Robert Half, pointed to rising demand for workers in credentialing, insurance verification, office administration and management, patient registration, member services, and enrollment or financial coordination.

Johnson added, “No matter what role it is, it’s hard to find skilled talent today,” prompting some employers in these fields to offer incentives to recruit and retain staff, despite signs of cooling in the broader labor market.

Why health care and social assistance continue to grow

Health care and social assistance sectors are benefiting from pandemic recovery, an aging population, and a growing shift toward home care and telehealth, experts say.

“Health care is turning more into an ecosystem, as opposed to just one single service at a time. It’s like a river branching out into all of these different streams,” Johnson said. “You typically think of traditional medicine, right? But there’s also mental health, home care, telehealth, wellness – the definition just kind of keeps on expanding.”

Because of that, the health care workforce behind those services needs to expand, Johnson added.

The sector is also embracing artificial intelligence and other technological advances, creating new opportunities across the field, said Wayne Winegarden, a senior fellow in business and economics at Pacific Research Institute.

Winegarden pointed out that health care demand is not tied to the broader business cycle.

“If I get sick, I’m going to be sick, and need health care services,” he said.

President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown may also play a role in increased demand for health care workers. Although immigrants comprise 17% of the total U.S. labor force, they make up 31% of home care workers and 21% of the residential care aid and nursing assistant workforce, according to a 2024 report from Leading Age, an organization representing nonprofit aging services providers.

While the social assistance sector includes a range of services, social workers make up a significant portion of its workforce. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook projects a 6% increase in demand for them from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations. This growth may be driven by factors including the aging baby boomer population, as well as increased demand for mental illness and substance abuse treatment, the handbook said.

What job seekers should know

It's not all doom and gloom in the job market. ManpowerGroup’s Employment Outlook Survey published in September found 38% of employers plan to recruit during the final quarter of the year.

Job seekers hoping to land a stable position may want to look at the health care sector, which has remained relatively recession-proof for people with “the right mindset” and aptitude, Namboothiry said.

Johnson said while there will probably always be demand for workers with specialized skills in critical roles in most fields, health care is a sector where opportunities are not only for frontline workers.

“You might take a look at nonprofit health care organizations that support the hospitals. You might look at digital and health care technology. Maybe an app that focuses on health and wellness,” she said. “If you’re interested in health care, there are a lot of options.”

Reach Rachel Barber at rbarber@usatoday.com and follow her on X @rachelbarber_

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The job market is rough, but there are some bright spots. These sectors are still hiring.

Reporting by Rachel Barber, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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