TRENTON, NJ (CBSNewYork) - New Jersey’s unemployment rate held at 9 percent in February, according to state labor department numbers. That’s the third month in a row.

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Meanwhile, the private sector added 9,700 jobs last month.

“And that is a very very high number for a month, but what is really encouraging is this the sixth straight month of job gains in the private sector in the state of New Jersey and we have not seen that in many years,” said New Jersey Business and Industry Association president Philip Kirchner.

He thinks it’s definitely a trend.

“Things are finally starting to look up on a consistent basis,” he said.

He says the upward tick is giving hope to more folks still unemployed.

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