Construction Employment Increases in 3/5 of Nation’s Metro Areas Between August 2015 & 2016

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Construction employment increased in three-fifths of metro areas between August 2015 and August 2016—the smallest share in nearly three and a half years—as contractors in many areas report difficulty in finding qualified workers, according to a new analysis of federal employment data recently released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the new data underscores the need to make it easier for school officials to set up programs that teach skills like construction. “While the number of metro areas with employment increases has been slipping, the number with decreases—76 in August—has held roughly steady,” said Ken Simonson, … Read more

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Sundt Wins W. Burr Bennett Award for Safety Excellence

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The American Society of Concrete Contractors has honored Sundt Construction, Inc. with the 2016 W. Burr Bennett Award for Safety Excellence. The award, which recognizes one general contractor and one specialty contractor for placing the highest priority on safety, was presented at ASCC’s 2016 annual conference. “This is not only a reflection of Sundt’s positive safety culture at work, but its commitment to protecting each and every Sundt employee,” said Sundt Concrete Division Manager Stew Grauer. “Sundt put in more than 3.5 million hours in 2015 and had just a handful of recordable incidents.” Earlier this year, Sundt also won … Read more

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Construction Employment Declines Amidst Qualified Worker Shortages

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Construction employment slipped from July to August for the fourth time in five months, but year-over-year job gains and recently released spending data suggest the recent weakness is due to firms having a hard time finding workers rather than lack of demand, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said its recent survey that found two-thirds of contractors are having a hard time finding qualified craft workers underscores the need for measures to boost recruitment and training on new workers. “A variety of indicators suggest contractors would be adding to headcount if they could … Read more

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Construction Spending Remains Steady in July, Up by 5.6% for First Seven Months of 2016

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Construction spending remained steady in July compared to June but is up by 5.6 percent for the first seven months of the year compared to same period in 2015, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the growth in construction spending is occurring as most construction firms report they are having a hard time finding skilled craft workers to keep pace with demand. “On balance, there is still strong demand for construction, especially for multifamily and private nonresidential structures, while home building continues an uneven recovery,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. … Read more

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Data on Severity of Construction Worker Shortages to be Released Aug. 31

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At 1 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, Aug. 31, the Associated General Contractors of America will release new data showing the severity of construction worker shortages nationwide and by region and state* during a media conference call at 800-874-4559 (verbal pass code TURM15731). The new data is based on a comprehensive survey of construction firms and includes data on how many firms are coping with labor shortages and what some of the possible causes are for tight labor conditions. Stephen Sandherr, the association’s CEO, will release the new worker shortage data and identify measures public officials should take to increase the … Read more

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