U.S. employers hired the most people in April since June 2015, with the oil and energy industry seeing the strongest gains, according to the May LinkedIn Workforce Report.

The rate of hires picked up in April after a slow start in early March, with hiring across the U.S. 16.7 percent higher in April than the same time last year. Seasonally-adjusted hiring (employment that excludes seasonal hiring variations, like companies hiring less in December because of the holiday season) was 3.4 percent higher in April than March.

Key Insights:

• Seasonally-adjusted hiring was down in 10 of the 13 industries the LinkedIn Workforce Report tracks. Only three industries bucked the trend —manufacturing/industrial (up 0.5 percent), aerospace/automotive/transport (up 1.3 percent), and software (up 8.5 percent).
• Demand for manufacturing skills is strong along coastal cities, but not in the Midwest, which was considered a hotbed for American factory jobs.
• Cities that are gaining the most workers primarily attract talent nationally and internationally, while cities with shrinking workforce attract workers from nearby towns.

The LinkedIn Workforce Report helps workers better navigate their careers by highlighting workforce trends in the U.S. and across 20 cities. Insights include whether hiring is up, down, or flat, which skills cities need most, and where workers are moving to and from.

Click here to read more of our May LinkedIn Workforce Report.