Oct. 22--After two months of decline, the state's jobless rate rose in September, the S.C. Employment Security Commission announced Wednesday.

Unemployment was 11.6 percent for the month, up from August's revised rate of 11.4 percent. September's rate was the fifth highest in the U.S. behind Michigan, Nevada, Rhode Island and California.

The national unemployment rate was 9.8 percent last month.

"Job growth in our state continues to struggle to keep up with job losses. As a result, the unemployment rate will remain high for the foreseeable future," said Roosevelt Halley, executive director of the commission, in a statement.

In Spartanburg County, unemployment fell to 12.2 percent in September, down from 12.3 percent during the previous month.

Demetria Fernanders, area director of the commission's Spartanburg Workforce Center, said she was glad to see the local jobless rate continue to fall, but understands the situation is still desperate for the 16,970 people here who are out of work.

She said BMW Manufacturing Co.'s announcement that it will to hire up to 700 workers for temporary jobs should help the rate go down.

But negative events, such as global tiremaker Goodyear's announcement Wednesday that it will close one of its local plants by the end of the year, putting 90 people out of work, continue to keep local hopes for a quick recovery grounded.

"Any time (the rate) goes down it's a good sign, but we're not going to get overly excited about it. We still have a long way to go," Fernanders said. "We're optimistic that heading into the holiday shopping season retailers will begin hiring again. That should help a little."

Cherokee County's rate did not change from August to September, remaining at 16.2 percent.

Union County's September rate declined one-tenth of a percentage point to 20.6 percent, down from 20.7 percent in August. It was the fourth highest rate in the state.

"Every little bit counts, but we know we're still a long way from where we want to be," said Irvin Goodwin, assistant area director of the commission's Union Workforce Center. "We'd be naive not to recognize that there is a sense of desperation among job seekers. We're stepping up our efforts in terms of job placement and we're starting to see individuals with more optimism. We know we're not going to get out of this overnight. You have to take small baby steps if you hope to stand on your own one day."

The commission said South Carolina's job count increased by 2,500 in September, with most of the increases occurring as state and local schools entered the first full month of the new school year.

The leisure and hospitality sectors saw a decline of more than 11,000 jobs. There were also losses reported in manufacturing, construction and retail trade.

The state's overall job count was 68,700 below its level last year and down by nearly 98,000 since the recession began in December 2007, the commission said.

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