Temporary help jobs rose by 14,700 in July from June, according to seasonally adjusted numbers released today by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, today’s revised data also decreased June’s previously reported gain of 13,400 US temp jobs to a gain of 2,900.

The year-over-year growth rate in temp jobs was 4.24% in July, down from 4.33% in June but still the third-largest year-over-year growth rate since June 2015.

The temp penetration rate — temp jobs as a percent of total employment — rose to 2.069% in July from 2.062% in June.

“The temporary penetration rate continues to increase at a solid pace, even at record levels, giving more evidence of a secular shift,” said Tony Gregoire, director of research, the Americas, at Staffing Industry Analysts.

Total nonfarm jobs rose by 209,000 on a seasonally adjusted basis.

The unemployment rate edged down to 4.3% in July from 4.4% in June. The college-level unemployment rate — which can serve as a proxy for professional employment — remained at 2.4% in July.

Bloomberg reports job gains were broad-based during July, led by the largest jump in leisure and hospitality employment since September 2015, a move driven by gains at restaurants. Hiring also hit five-month highs in manufacturing and education and health services.

The Conference Board noted more than two-thirds of jobs created during the past 18 months have gone to college educated workers, even though this group constitutes slightly more than one-third of those employed. With employers competing keenly for the same pool of workers, wage growth — at least for the most desirable workers — may start accelerating again soon.

“A stronger jobs market may be helping those working part-time for economic reasons to find full-time work; their ranks fell by 44,000 in July,” The Conference Board stated. “This share remains historically high relative to past periods of such low unemployment. A continued lack of acceleration in wage growth, which remained at 2.5% for the last year, as well as an uptick in the number of those unemployed for more than 26 weeks, are both signs that the economy may not yet be at full employment.”

Slower than expected wage and inflation growth relative to labor market conditions will likely cause the Federal Reserve to raise rates only once more this year, according to The Conference Board. A stronger economy could lead to a reconsideration of this policy change if it is combined with signals in the upcoming months that prices and wages are starting to rise faster.

The percentage of workers who have given up looking for work declined for the second month in a row, according to Express Employment Professionals CEO Bob Funk. The labor force participation rate increased narrowly, to 62.9% in July from 62.8% in June.

“The increase is small, but for two months in a row the direction has been good,” Funk said. “In a low unemployment era, it’s good for workers and the economy if people on the sidelines re-enter the labor force.”

“This month’s jobs report shows just how innovative and creative large US employers now need to be to build a talent pipeline and fuel their growth,” Randstad Sourceright CEO Rebecca Henderson said in a statement.

Henderson noted Google, in the last month alone, pledged $50 million to nonprofits that retrain workers in new skills; Amazon hosted a job fair to try to fill more than 50,000 positions in a single day; and Microsoft invested $25 million in a program to help American workers adapt to the changes in the workplace.

“While automation may continue to grow in the workplace, so too does the scarcity of talent, which is driving new approaches and big investments to fill jobs.” Henderson said.

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