Construction Employment Rises by 23K Jobs in September, 315K for Year

Construction employment increased by 23,000 jobs in September and by 315,000 jobs over the past year, reaching a 10-year high, while the industry’s unemployment rate decreased more than half-a-percentage point to 4.1 percent from a year earlier, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Even as firms increase headcount and increase pay, a survey by the association suggests that this expansion is threatened by a lack of skilled craft labor. “The construction industry added workers and increased pay in the past year at rates higher than the overall economy,” said Ken Simonson, … Read more

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Construction Employment Jumps in February

Construction employment increased by 58,000 jobs in February to the highest level since November 2008 with gains in both residential and nonresidential segments, 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 help students and current workers better prepare for careers in the high-paying construction field. “These numbers match what many contractors have been telling the association—that demand remains strong for a variety of construction projects and that firms are still hiring, when they can find qualified workers,” said Ken Simonson, the … Read more

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