Construction employment climbed by 26,000 jobs in March, with gains in both residential and nonresidential segments, according to an analysis of new government data released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that the gains were welcome news, but the fact construction pay continues to be well above other sectors is a sign firms are struggling to find enough qualified workers.
“The increase in March more than offset the 13,000-position decline that occurred in February,” says Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “It is especially heartening to see that the gains were present among all five subsectors of the industry.”
Construction employment totaled 8,330,000, seasonally adjusted, in March, a pickup of 33,000 from February. Over the past 12 months, the industry has added 57,000 jobs, a gain of 0.7%, outpacing the 0.2% increase in total nonfarm payroll employment.