ATLANTA – Georgia’s unemployment rate dipped below 3% last month for the first time ever, the state Department of Labor reported Thursday.

The rate of joblessness fell to 2.9 percent in June, well below the national unemployment rate of 3.6 percent.

The Peach State also saw a new all-time high of employed Georgians last month at more than 5.3 million, up 10,420 from May. The number of unemployed fell 2,317 in June to 155,199, the lowest since March 2001.

“The unemployment rate is decreasing exactly the way it should be in a strong economy,” Georgia Commissioner of Labor Mark Butler said. “We are adding new job seekers and they are quickly finding employment.”

Job numbers hit a record high in several employment sectors, including trade and transportation, financial activities, professional and business services, education, and health services.

The sectors with the most over-the-year gains were administrative and support services and accommodation and food services.

Despite all the good news on the labor front, initial jobless claims in Georgia rose by 53% last month to 25,660. However, first-time unemployment claims were down 75% from June of last year.

More than 227,000 jobs are listed online at EmployGeorgia.com, resulting in a minimum of more than 300,000 unfilled positions. Industries with more than 10,000 job postings include health care, manufacturing, retail trade and accommodation and food services.

This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.