Construction Employment Rises from October 2017 to October 2018 in 44 States, D.C.

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Forty-four states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between October 2017 and October 2018, while 36 states and D.C. added construction jobs between September and October, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data recently released. Association officials said that firms in most parts of the country are adding staff to keep pace with growing demand for construction, but cautioned that rising labor and materials costs could undermine future demand.   “Construction activity continues to expand at a steady clip, with employment growing by more than ten percent during the past … Read more

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Construction Employment Rises by 23K Jobs in September, 315K for Year

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Construction employment increased by 23,000 jobs in September and by 315,000 jobs over the past year, reaching a 10-year high, while the industry’s unemployment rate decreased more than half-a-percentage point to 4.1 percent from a year earlier, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Even as firms increase headcount and increase pay, a survey by the association suggests that this expansion is threatened by a lack of skilled craft labor. “The construction industry added workers and increased pay in the past year at rates higher than the overall economy,” said Ken Simonson, … Read more

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Construction Spending Extends Year-to-Date Gains in August, Contractors Struggle to Find Workers

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Construction spending increased 0.1 percent from July to August and 5.3 percent for eight months of 2018 combined, with continued year-to-date gains for major public and private categories, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said that these spending figures showed strong demand in construction across the country but that growth in the construction industry still depends on contractors’ ability to find sufficient qualified workers, urging public officials to step up support for career and technical education and to allow employment-based immigration. “Nearly all categories of construction spending continued to … Read more

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Construction Employment Rises in 287 Metro Areas Between August 2017, 2018 says AGC

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Construction employment increased in 287 out of 358 metro areas (80 percent) between August 2017 and August 2018, declined in 35 (10 percent) and was unchanged in 36, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials cautioned that further gains depend on finding enough qualified workers and urged federal officials to improve career and technical education funding and reform immigration policies. “The increases in construction employment have been showing up in more and more metro areas,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Moreover, the gains should continue. Three … Read more

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Construction Employment Rises in 45 States, D.C. from August 2017 Year-Over-Year

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45 states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between August 2017 and August 2018, while 33 states added construction jobs between July and August, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data. Association officials welcomed the job gains but noted that the numbers would have been higher if contractors could only find more qualified workers to hire. “Only three states experienced a decline in construction employment over the past year, the fewest number with a decrease since May 2015,” said chief economist Ken Simonson. “These results show that contractors still expect … Read more

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