Democrats and Republicans clashed over the future and manner of job creation after a report released Thursday showed the state losing jobs during the month of March.

According to a Department of Workforce Development statement, the state lost 4,300 private sector jobs throughout March. However, the state’s unemployment rate also dropped.

“Wisconsin’s March preliminary unemployment rate dropped to 6.8 percent, after holding at 6.9 percent for two months,” Secretary of Workforce Development Reggie Newson said in the statement. “A year ago, the rate was 7.6 percent. With unemployment rates not this low since 2008, Wisconsin’s economic picture continues to improve.”

In a statement, Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, said the job losses show the Legislature must be more aggressive in advancing job creation. He also said Gov. Scott Walker and the Republican Legislature have led the state in the wrong direction.

Still, Mike Mikalsen, spokesperson for Rep. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, said Democrats are speaking out of “both sides of the mouth.” He said at the same time Democrats have expressed concern over jobs, they have fought tax cuts for companies.

“Part of the problem is they don’t understand government does not create jobs. The private sector creates jobs, and the government creates barriers and impediments,” Mikalsen said.

Rep. Kelda Roys, D-Madison, said Wisconsin has continually lost jobs over the past months while the country has gained jobs.

She said a huge problem leading to the creation of jobs was cuts to the technical college system and said a gap exists between the skills people have and the skills employers need.

“Gov. Walker gave $2.3 billion in tax giveaways yet the state has one of the worst job records in the country. Corporate tax cuts are not the way to do it,” Roys said. “We’re doing something wrong when we are the outlier in the nation.”

However, Jim Pugh, spokesperson for the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, said a survey conducted and released by WMC Thursday show 87 percent of their members are confident they will create jobs in the state by the end of the year.

He said the state should continue to push initiatives, such as passing a bill decreasing mining regulations or lowering the tax burden on companies.

“The work’s not done, and there’s still plenty to do,” Pugh said. “We need to keep pushing those policies.”