Construction Jobs Increase in 26 States in September

Construction job creation in September was muted due to the recent hurricanes, said the Associated General Contractors of America in an analysis released by the Labor Department on Friday. Twenty-six states added construction jobs between August and September, while 35 states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between September 2016 and September 2017. Association officials noted that construction employment in many parts of the country would have been higher if more qualified workers were available.

“Contractors in most states still report they are busy and expect to stay that way for the foreseeable future,” said Ken Simonson, chief economist for the association. “These reports suggest employment would be rising in more states if contractors could find enough qualified workers.”