The private sector added nearly 10,000 jobs in October, and the state employment rate dropped by three points, according the latest report from the Employment Security Department.

The addition of 9,600 private-sector jobs was somewhat offset by continued losses in government jobs, resulting in a net gain of 6,700 jobs last month, according to the agency. The new unemployment rate is 8.2 percent, down from 8.5 percent in September.

As always, monthly numbers are subject to revision, but the direction over the past year has been decidedly positive – part of a slow but steady recovery in the state economy. There is still more work to do. Across all sectors, Washington employment has grown by about 124,000 jobs, but has yet to climb out of a recession loss of about 205,000 jobs.