Construction Headcount Dips in May, Qualified Workers are Scarce

Construction employment dipped for the second consecutive month in May, but rising industry pay and plunging unemployment suggest contractors would be hiring more workers if they were available, according to a recent analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials cautioned that worker shortages may be reaching the point where they undermine the sector’s growth. “Although construction employment slipped in April and May, the industry has added workers in the past year at double the rate of the overall economy,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Average pay in construction is rising faster than in the rest … Read more

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Construction Firms Add 1,000 Jobs in April, AGC Career Center Launches New Program

Construction employment rose in April by 1,000 for the month and 261,000 for the year as mild winter weather and labor shortages impacted the early spring hiring season for many firms, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. “Some of the slowdown in hiring last month was due to mild winter weather that allowed contractors to hire or retain workers in the first quarter instead of waiting until spring,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Yet reports from contractors and recent Census Bureau data on construction spending through March suggest industry demand for workers will … Read more

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