The construction sector added 17,000 employees in December and continued to raise wages at a faster clip than other industries, the Associated General Contractors of America reported in an analysis of government data released today. Association officials said the survey it released this week found contractors expect to hire more employees in 2024 but are struggling to find enough qualified workers. Construction employment in December totaled 8,056,000, seasonally adjusted, an increase of 17,000 from November. The sector has added 197,000 jobs during the past 12 months. That was a gain of 2.5%, which outpaced the 1.7% job growth in the overall economy. … Read more

Construction employment increased in 43 states and the District of Columbia in September from a year earlier, while 28 states and D.C. added construction employees from August to September, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the month-over-month dips in construction employment in some parts of the country were likely caused by firms struggling to find enough workers to replace retiring ones amid labor shortages. Between September 2022 and September 2023, 43 states and D.C. added construction jobs, while industry employment declined in seven states. Texas added … Read more