Employment Up, Openings Remain: AGC
Construction employment climbed in 31 states from July to August, according to the Associated General Contractors of America, even as the majority of contractors report they would have added more workers if they could find them.
“Despite an overall rise in construction employment, too many openings remained unfilled due to a lack of qualified workers,” said Ken Simonson, AGC chief economist, in a prepared statement. “As a result, many projects are being delayed or even canceled.”
The association’s 2022 Workforce Survey found 93 percent of respondents had openings for hourly craft workers. The most common reason for difficulty in filling positions, cited by 77 percent of firms, was that available candidates were not qualified to work in the industry. Two-thirds of firms reported that projects had been delayed due to shortages of employees or subcontractors.
In August, 31 states added construction employees, 16 states and the District of Columbia lost jobs, and employment was flat in Maine, Maryland, and Nevada.
August job growth
- Arizona (5,300 jobs, 2.9 percent)
- Kentucky (2.4 percent, 1,900 jobs)
- Utah (2.0 percent, 2,600 jobs).
- Georgia (3,300 jobs, 1.6 percent).
- Illinois (3,500 jobs, 1.5 percent)
August job declines
- Wyoming (-3.2 percent, -700 jobs)
- Mississippi (-2.7 percent, -1,300 jobs)
- Montana (-1.5 percent, -500 jobs).
- Minnesota (-1,900 jobs, -1.4 percent)
- Missouri (-1,400 jobs, -1.0 percent)
- California (-1,700 jobs, -0.2 percent)
Source: Associated General Contractors