Job openings up sharply in January, evidence that employers are slowly boosting hiring

Hightlights of government’s job openings report

The Labor Department said Tuesday that job openings rose to 2.7 million in January, the highest level in nearly a year.

Here’s a breakdown of where companies are hiring — or not:

Construction: down 7,000 openings to 60,000

Manufacturing: down 18,000 to 153,000

Retail trade, transportation and utilities: up 7,000 to 385,000

Professional and business services: up 28,000 to 432,000

Education and health services: up 72,000 to 617,000

Accomodation and food services: up 28,000 to 235,000

Government: down 4,000 to 397,000