Pennsylvania’s June employment report sounded an old theme: almost three quarters of net new jobs are accounted for the education and health services sector. Leisure and hospitality also continues its stronger than average growth while good producing industries slipped from May to June. The Professional and Business Service component was also weak in June, after some fairly robust gains.

To say the least it is never a good sign when one sector hogs the growth in jobs. It is not clear how long the strength can continue in light of the medical insurance issues looming nationally. Far better to have some gains in manufacturing, construction and mining as well as broader gains in the service sector.

Still, some job gains are better than none. But there is no gainsaying the worrisome aspects of a jobs picture that is so imbalanced.

The national employment situation is far from solid and Pennsylvania’s policymakers have failed to make the kinds of strategic changes that would energize the state’s economic forces.