construction jobs show renewed growth as 2020 begins, says report

The first month of the year got off to a vibrant start for the national construction industry with the creation of more than 44,000 new jobs in January.

A report just issued by the Associated General Contractors of America additionally shows that the nation’s total construction employment is now just short of the 7.6 million mark, the highest level recorded since the onset of the Great Recession in August of 2007.

For the last year, continues the report, more than 142,000 new construction jobs were added, with significant gains recorded in both residential and nonresidential employment.

The strong numbers were also seen in a 1.9 percent total increase in construction employment between January 2019 and January of this year, compared to the 1.4 percent increase during that same time period for all nonfarm payroll employment.

In a statement, Ken Simonson, chief economist with the AGC, noted that “construction accounted for one-fifth of all jobs added in January, even though the industry makes up less than five percent of total employment.”
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While some construction companies in the North may have been engaged in projects due to unseasonably mild weather in January, thus upping the month’s jobs numbers, Simonson nevertheless noted that contractors overall are “unquestionably optimistic about the year and plan to continue hiring.”

​By Garry Boulard

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