Construction jobs are up in 32 states since February 2020
April 21, 2022
Thirty-five states added construction jobs in March, and construction employment is up in 32 states since February 2020 amid labor shortages, according to www.agc.org.
California added the most construction jobs from February to March—8,900—and South Dakota had the largest percentage increase of construction jobs for the month—7.1%. New York lost the largest number of construction jobs (-3,700) for the month and Mississippi had the largest percentage decline (3.3%).
Thirty-two states added construction jobs from February 2020 to March. Utah added the most jobs—15,000—and had the largest percentage increase during that period—13.2%. New York lost the most construction jobs from February 2020 to March (-29,600 jobs) and had the largest percentage decline (-7.2%).
Ken Simonson, chief economist for Associated General Contractors of America, said government data from the monthly Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey show there were 364,000 job openings in the construction at the end of February, which exceeded the 342,000 employees hired during that month.
“Contractors have been adding workers as fast as they can find them,” Simonson said. “But there just aren’t enough qualified workers available in many states, as shown by the record number of construction job openings at the end of February.”
