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
Construction Employment Increases, Many Areas Benefit from Growing Project Demand
Construction employment increased in 244 out of 358 metro areas, was unchanged in 44 and declined in 70 between March 2015 and March 2016, according to a recent analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the new figures show that the construction sector, in most parts of the country, continues to recover from its years-long downturn. “With more than two-thirds of the nation’s metro areas adding construction jobs it is clear that the demand for construction is broad-based geographically and by project type,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, adding … Read more
Construction Employment Rises in 44 States, D.C. Over Last Year
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