New National, State Construction Hiring and Business Forecasts to be Released During Media Call

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At 1 p.m. EST on Wednesday, Dec. 21, the Associated General Contractors of America and Sage will release their national and state* construction hiring and business forecasts for 2017 during a media conference call at 800-874-4559 (Canadian: 800-696-0876) (verbal pass code TURM25524). The forecasts, which are based on a comprehensive survey of construction firms nationwide, will include predictions of the scope of construction hiring, layoffs and labor market conditions. During the call, the association’s CEO Stephen Sandherr and Chief Economist Kenneth Simonson will release the forecasts and explain their significance for broader economic and employment growth for this year. Sage … Read more

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A Closer Look at the Skilled Labor Shortage

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The whys, tactics and what comes next By Bud LaRosa The construction industry is enjoying an enormous economic recovery. Many urban centers are dotted with cranes. There are several private and public projects on the drawing board and, last year, Congress passed a $1.1-trillion budget with $1.6 billion going toward the General Services Administration’s construction account. This 300 percent increase includes a doubling of the Department of Veterans Affairs construction budget to $1.2 billion. With projections for growth in 2017 forecasting the recovery to continue, one of the greatest threats that could derail the recovery is the lack of skilled … Read more

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Construction Firms Add 19,000 Jobs in November, Drop in Infrastructure Spending Slows Growth

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Construction employers added 19,000 jobs in November, reaching the highest employment level since November 2008, but a drop in public sector investments in construction projects held down employment among heavy and civil engineering firms, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that recent construction spending numbers show a decline in most categories of infrastructure investment. “This report shows the construction industry has the capacity to handle additional infrastructure work even as private nonresidential projects, apartments and homebuilding continue to go up,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “The industry would be adding … Read more

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Only 23 States, D.C. Add Construction Jobs Between September and October

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Only 23 states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between September and October while construction employment increased in 35 states between October 2015 and October 2016, according to analysis of Labor Department data released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said declining public-sector investments in infrastructure and other public projects were undermining construction employment growth in many parts of the country. “Firms that perform public-sector work are having a hard time finding enough work to keep their teams together,” said Ken Simonson, chief economist for the association, noting that public-sector spending on construction is down … Read more

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Construction Employment Conditions Vary Widely Between September 2015, 2016

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Construction employment conditions varied widely by metro area between September 2015 and September 2016 as contractors in many areas struggled to find qualified workers while others contending with shrinking public budgets for infrastructure, according to a new analysis of federal employment data recently released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the new data shows the need to enact career and technical education reforms along with infrastructure funding. “Overall, the employment picture for construction workers is positive—the number of metro areas adding construction jobs in the past year was more than triple the number that lost jobs,” … Read more

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