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Updated 10/05/2012 02:56 PM

Unemployment falls below 8 percent for first time in nearly 4 years

By: Web Staff

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NATIONWIDE -- President Obama is getting a bit of a boost with the release of the latest jobs numbers.

U.S. unemployment in September fell from 8.1 to 7.8 percent - the lowest number since Obama took office in 2009. The economy gained 114,000 new jobs, slightly less than the 115,000 that analysts predicted. The health care, transportation and warehousing sectors saw the biggest hiring gains.

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis said while the gains are good, more Americans need to take advantage of the government's job skills training programs to find work and make the nation more competitive in a global economy.

"If we're going to be competitive with those other countries - China, India and Brazil - that we need to make sure that we have a competitive workforce," said Solis.

Meanwhile, Mitt Romney says President Obama hasn't done enough to create jobs. He says 7.8 percent is not "real recovery."