While construction and construction employment is increasing, contractors are having difficulties finding good people.

Construction Employment Hits Five-Year High in December

Jan. 9, 2015
Construction employers added 48,000 jobs in December and 290,000 for the year, the largest annual increase since 2005, as the sector’s unemployment rate fell to 8.3 percent, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America.

Construction employers added 48,000 jobs in December and 290,000 for the year, the largest annual increase since 2005, as the sector’s unemployment rate fell to 8.3 percent, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said many firms are expanding payrolls to keep pace with growing construction demand, but are having difficulty finding qualified workers to fill key positions.

“Construction firms are clearly ramping up their hiring to keep up with swelling demand for construction,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Demand for workers to construct apartments, pipelines and huge industrial projects is likely to remain robust in 2015.”

Construction employment totaled 6,166,000 in December, the highest level since March 2009, with a 12-month gain of 290,000 jobs or 4.9 percent, Simonson said. Residential building and specialty trade contractors added a combined 13,500 employees since November and 132,100 (6 percent) over 12 months. Nonresidential contractors hired a net of 34,400 workers for the month and 158,200 (4.3 percent) since December 2013. The heavy and civil engineering construction segment, which includes pipelines, petrochemical and power plants, and public works construction, added 11,600 jobs in December and 57,900 (6.6 percent) for the year.

AGC officials said contractors are reporting difficulty in finding enough qualified workers to fill available positions. They urged Congress to act quickly to reform and increase funding for the Perkins Act, which funds most career and technical education programs in the United States.

“We need to make sure our education system is giving students an opportunity to qualify for the high-paying opportunities that the construction industry is creating,” said Stephen Sandherr, AGC CEO. “The more paths to success we give students, the more likely they are to succeed.”