The Construction industry's unemployment rate increased in January to 17.7%, from December’s 16%, but it was much lower than January 2011’s mark of 22.5%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported.
BLS's latest monthly employment update, released on Feb. 3, also showed that construction gained a further 21,000 jobs in January, after adding 31,000 in December. That brings the industry's total employment to its highest level in two years, according to Ken Simonson, Associated General Contractors of America chief economist.