continued job growth underlines robust 2018 construction industry, says report

Pushing into the second half of 2018, the nation’s construction industry continues to show job growth across the country, according to a new report released by the Associated General Contractors of America.

Comparing statistics from September of 2017 to September of this year, AGC notes that 45 states, as well as the District of Columbia, added new construction jobs in the last 12 months.

Only two states, Missouri and Maryland, recorded no changes in their job outlook.

“Construction activity is expanding nearly everywhere, as only three states experienced a decline in construction employment over the past year,” said AGC chief economist Ken Simonson in a statement.

“These results show that contractors remain upbeat about demand for projects going forward.”

 The AGC report, using the most recently released figures from the federal Department of Labor, ranked Florida, Georgia, and Arizona as the top three states for construction job growth, with the percentage increase varying between 10 and 14 percent.

New Mexico placed number nine of the list with an 8.3 percent job jump between September of 2017 and September 2018.

Colorado placed 29 on the list, with a 5.1 percent construction job increase.

The three states that actually shed jobs were Mississippi, Kentucky, and New Jersey.

Despite their strong numbers, both Arizona and New Mexico have still yet to surpass their pre-Great Recession construction job peaks.

In Arizona that peak was reached in June of 2006, when the state posted just over 244,000 construction jobs. As of last month, it had just under 164,000.

In New Mexico, the pre-Great Recession peak was also hit in June of 2006 with 59,600 construction jobs. Last month the state’s total construction employment stood at 49,700.

Colorado surpassed its pre-Great Recession peak in February of this year with 172,700 construction jobs. Its latest job numbers are nearly unchanged at 172, 800.

By Garry Boulard

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