Thirty-two states added construction jobs between August and September and 47 states boosted construction employment during the past 12 months, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America today. Association officials said the job gains were welcome news but that significant labor shortages in the industry likely held back even larger employment gains.
“While it is encouraging to see construction employment expanding in a majority of states, it is tempting to imagine how much higher those gains would have been if contractors could find enough workers to hire” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer, noting that a recent survey by the association found 91 percent of firms are having a hard time finding workers to hire.
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