SANTA CRUZ — The Santa Cruz County jobless rate dropped in September to 3.5 percent, the lowest since 1990, when the state Employment Development Department began tracking county data, according to analyst Andriy Moskalyk.

The state on Friday reported 114,500 jobs in the county as of Sept. 12, up 2,800 from a year ago.

Only 5,000 people were unemployed — the fewest in 18 years — and down from 10,000 four years ago.

Manufacturing and construction, two sectors that often are volatile, are driving job gains, along with professional and business services, being pushed by fast-growing Santa Cruz data company Looker.

For four consecutive months, manufacturing has exceeded 7,000 jobs.

That trend that last occurred in 2004, according to Moskalyk, when manufacturing employment topped 7,000 for five months in a row, April through August.

Construction jobs have exceeded 5,000 since April.

Moskalyk said the last time sustained employment in construction occurred at this level was from March 2004 to December 2007.

That was just before the recession, which kept construction jobs below 4,000 for years.

One manufacturer that is growing is Threshold Enterprises, which produces nutritional supplements in Scotts Valley. The company, founded 40 years ago, employs nearly 700 people, with 100 jobs added in the past year and 65 open positions locally.

Cat & Cloud, a 2-year-old coffee roaster, started with two employees in a roastery on Portola Drive and now employs eight to 10 people, according to co-owner Charles Jack.

In June, the manufacturing operation moved into a 1,500-square-foot space at 719 Swift St., and roasts more than a ton of coffee each week, Jack said, for local consumption and for businesses across the country.

Karl Heiman is hiring five to eight people a week at his startup, Smart Meter Guard. He invested his experience in radio frequency systems to invent a device to block electromagnetic field radiation emitted by the new utility meters.

He and his partner Jack McSorley leased a warehouse in Live Oak where the device is assembled and sold for $129.95.

“We’re shipping thousands of them,” Heiman said.

Swenson Builders is building the $40 million Aptos Village and 1547 Pacific Ave., a $35 million five-story complex with 79 rentals and a restaurant. Swenson is about to break ground on a $7 million 15,000-square foot development at 1155 17th Ave with 13 rentals, seven commercial spaces and 62 parking spaces.

The 17th Avenue project is expected to create 135 construction jobs, 70 percent of the subcontractors local, with completion taking a year.

Looker, the company that creates analytic software to help businesses access their own data for decision-making, has grown to nearly 300 employees in Santa Cruz and 600 worldwide.

Outgrowing its 34,000 square feet on the third and fourth floor in the Rittenhouse Building downtown, Looker is renovating 17,000 square feet on the second floor, with plans move in this year.

With so many people employed, local nonprofit Access2Employment has turned its attention to younger job-hunters ages 14-25. A workshop series will start Tuesday at the Felton library, 6299 Gushee St., Felton, from 6-7:30 p.m., explaining resumes, cover letters, job search techniques and interview tips every fourth Tuesday through March, with a break in December.

JOBS IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

Industry Sept 2018 Change from a year ago

Government 21,700 Up 1,400

Private education, health 17,700 Down 300

Trade, transportation, utilities 17,000 Down 200

Leisure and hospitality 14,500 Up 500

Professional and business 10,600 Up 400

Manufacturing 7,100 Up 200

Mining, logging, construction 5,200 Up 600

Other services 5,200 Up 300

Financial activities 3,500 0

Information 800 0 0

Total Nonfarm 103,300 Up 2,900

Total Farm 11,200 Down 100

Total 114,500 Up 2,800

Month Sept 2018 Aug 2018 Sept 2017

Labor force 145,100 145,000 143,400

Employed* 140,100 139,400 137,500

Unemployed 5,000 5,600 5,900

*Includes people commuting outside Santa Cruz County, self-employed and independent contractors

Source: California Employment Development Department