Construction Headcount Dips in May, Qualified Workers are Scarce

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Construction employment dipped for the second consecutive month in May, but rising industry pay and plunging unemployment suggest contractors would be hiring more workers if they were available, according to a recent analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials cautioned that worker shortages may be reaching the point where they undermine the sector’s growth. “Although construction employment slipped in April and May, the industry has added workers in the past year at double the rate of the overall economy,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Average pay in construction is rising faster than in the rest … Read more

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Construction Employment Rises in 44 States, D.C. Over Last Year

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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

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