The Dayton metro area will see continued job growth through the first half of this year, according to a recently released forecast from Wright State University.

The forecast predicts a total gain of nearly 5,000 jobs by the end of the second quarter, compared to the same period last year.

However, employment is expected to dip slightly in the first quarter this year, as seasonal workers hired for the holiday shopping season are laid off.

“It happens every first quarter,’’ said Thomas Traynor, an economics professor at Wright State who authored the forecast.

Employment is expected to bounce back by the beginning of the second quarter, led by continued strong demand for workers in the health and social services industries, which are projected to add more than 1,000 new jobs by the middle of this year.

Health and social services were among industries where employment grew by at least 2 percent last year, adding 1,250 workers from the end of 2010 through the first three quarters of 2011.

That was second only to leisure services, which added 2,300 workers through the fall of 2011, according to the report.

Overall, more industries in the Dayton area added jobs than lost jobs last year, indicating a strengthening regional economy and improving jobs picture.

“I don’t mean to make it sound like it was some huge increase,” Traynor said. “But when you’ve had 10 straight years of decline like we’ve had, the (job gains) are noteworthy.”

Employment in manufacturing is also expected to remain steady this year as factory output continues to benefit from favorable economic trends.

Going forward, possible recession in Europe and additional defense budget cuts pose the biggest threats to job growth, Traynor said.