Construction employment increased by 36,000 jobs in January to the highest level since November 2008 as employers increased pay in an effort to address a chronic worker shortage, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. The association urged public officials to strengthen training and education programs to prepare more workers for careers in the high-paying construction field. “This report aligns with what contractors have been telling the association—that the construction industry is still eager to add workers,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “The employment gains would be even larger if … Read more

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