Forty-four states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between March 2015 and March 2016 while construction employment increased in 28 states between February and March, according to analysis of Labor Department data released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that the five states experiencing year-over-year construction employment declines are all energy producing states where construction demand has likely suffered from declining prices for coal, oil and other fuels. “Construction employment growth occurred all regions in the latest 12 months,” said Ken Simonson, chief economist for the association. “The only soft spots in construction demand … Read more
Sundt Construction Company Earns 2015 AGC Safety Award
Sundt Construction, Inc. was recently named the nation’s safest construction company in 2015 by the Associated General Contractors of America. The association, which oversees the Willis Towers Watson Construction Safety Excellence Awards, an annual ranking of construction safety programs, noted that 51 other companies were selected as winners for the quality of their safety programs. “The foundation of any successful construction project is workplace safety,” said Charles Greco, the association’s past president and chairman of Linbeck Group. “By demonstrating excellence in safety, firms like this strengthen our industry and set an outstanding example for others to follow.” Greco said Sundt … Read more
AGC Releases Recent Construction Employment Data February 2015, 2016
Forty-three states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between February 2015 and February 2016 while construction employment increased in 27 states between January and February, according to analysis of Labor Department data recently released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the pullback in energy prices and farm income appeared to be dampening demand for construction in some states while firms in other states continue to expand. “In most of the country, construction continues to outpace other industries in adding jobs,” said Ken Simonson, chief economist for the association. “Contractors remain upbeat about demand for … Read more
Construction Employment Rises in 44 States, D.C. Over 12 Months
Forty-four states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between January 2015 and January 2016 while construction employment increased in 30 states and D.C. between December and January, according to analysis of Labor Department data recently released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the new employment figures show strong demand for construction except in a number of energy producing states. “Construction remains vibrant in nearly every state and is adding workers at a faster clip than other industries in much of the country,” said Ken Simonson, chief economist for the association. “Contractors report they are … Read more
Construction Firms Add 19,000 Workers, Unemployed Workers Hits Low
Construction firms added 19,000 workers in February, as the number of unemployed construction workers was at the lowest February total since the series started in 2000, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said, however, that sluggish gains in nonresidential construction employment may reflect the fact contractors are having difficulty finding workers to keep up with growing demand. “The overall picture for construction employment is very positive with robust job growth and very little unemployment,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Yet it appears that many nonresidential construction firms … Read more