California employers added 32,500 jobs in January, with the construction industry leading the way, the state Employment Development Department reported Friday. But the unemployment rate increased to 12.5 percent from a revised 12.3 percent in January.

Construction gained 16,200 jobs in January, as builders and developers kicked off new projects in the beginning of the year. The Irvine Company, for example, released hundreds of homes for sale in January. Still, California construction employment is down 18 percent since January 2009.

The construction gains may not last long. “It’s definitely encouraging at this point in the state’s recovery, but it’s probably not sustainable,” said Eduardo Martinez, California analyst and senior economist at Moody’s Economy.com. As stimulus funding dries up and the weak housing market continues, he said, the construction industry will likely struggle.

Other industries added jobs as well, including manufacturing, trade and transportation. One area, education and health services, gained jobs over the year — it added 12,400 positions. Health and education jobs are often seen as recession-resistant.

Gains in trade and transportation are great for Southern California, as traffic at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles tends to benefit Orange County employers, said Martinez.

In the U.S., the construction industry lost 64,000 jobs in January, according to U.S. Department of Labor statistics released Friday. The U.S. unemployment rate was reported at 9.7 percent in January, unchanged from December.

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