Construction employment increased in 236 or 66 percent of 358 metro areas over the last 12 months, according to the Associated General Contractors (AGC).
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, California added the most construction jobs (6,800 jobs, 9 percent), followed by Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Massachusetts (6,600 jobs, 9 percent); Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida (6,400 jobs, 9 percent); Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Washington (5,500 jobs, 5 percent); and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (5,200 jobs, 7 percent). Worcester, Massachusetts had the highest percentage increase (20 percent, 2,000 jobs), followed by Sioux Falls, South Dakota (19 percent, 800 jobs); Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas (19 percent, 3,200 jobs); Atlantic City-Hammonton, New Jersey (16 percent, 800 jobs) and Sierra Vista-Douglas, Arizona (15 percent, 500 jobs).
Construction employment declined from a year earlier in 72 metros and held steady in 50. Nassau County-Suffolk County, New York lost the most jobs (-6,700 or -8 percent), followed by New York City (-5,500 jobs, -3 percent); Orange-Rockland-Westchester counties, New York (-3,600 jobs, -8 percent); Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas (-2,800 jobs, -2 percent) and Calvert-Charles-Prince George’s counties, Maryland (-2,600 jobs, -8 percent). The largest percentage declines were in Evansville, Indiana-Kentucky (-17 percent, -1,700 jobs); Altoona, Pennsylvania (-13 percent, -400 jobs); Watertown-Fort Drum, New York (-11 percent, -200 jobs); and Gary, Indiana (-10 percent, -1,700 jobs).
Association officials urged the Biden administration to continue working to reduce tariffs on key construction materials, and to take additional steps to ease supply chain problems at ports and other shipping facilities. They added that the association was working to recruit more people into the construction industry, and the recently enacted Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill should send a positive message to many workers about the expanding career opportunities in construction.
“Firms are struggling to source materials for projects, coping with rising prices for those materials, all while eagerly searching for workers to put those materials in place,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s CEO. “We are eager to work with public officials to address supply chain challenges even as we work to recruit more people into high-paying construction careers.”
Source: AGC
