Twenty-Two States Add Construction Jobs In Past Year
Construction employment growth remained sluggish and uneven in May as nearly half of the country—22 states plus the District of Columbia—added jobs over the past year while the remaining states all lost construction jobs, according to a recent analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of state employment data released by the Labor Department. Association officials said the figures reflect the fact that industry-wide employment has stagnated as the result of tepid demand for most private construction and declines in public construction.
“It’s not surprising to see close to an even split between states adding and losing jobs, given that year-over-year construction employment for May was unchanged,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “There just isn’t enough demand for new construction to drive nationwide boosts in construction employment.”