CHICAGO (AP) – The Illinois Department of Employment Security says the jobless rate held at 5.4 percent in October but the state added jobs for the first time since spring.

The department said Thursday in its monthly statewide unemployment report that the state added a net 14,400 jobs in October. The total number of jobs in Illinois had declined for four straight months.

Department director Jeff Mays said the state’s job-creation still lags much of the country but noted the job growth was the strongest since February.

The national unemployment rate for October was 5 percent.

The biggest job gains in Illinois in October were among educational and health-services firms. They added 3,400 jobs.’

Trade, transportation and utilities companies had the biggest losses at 3,100 jobs.