Construction Employment Added 6K Jobs in March

Arlington, VA, April 10, 2017—Construction employment totaled 6,882,000 in March, an increase of 6,000 from the February total and an increase of 177,000 or 2.6% from a year ago, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America.

The year-over-year growth rate was almost double the 1.5% rise in total nonfarm payroll employment. The increase followed a jump of 59,000 jobs in February—the largest one-month rise in 11 years.

Residential construction—comprising residential building and specialty trade contractors—lost 7,600 jobs in March but is up by 112,600, or 4.4%, compared to a year ago. Nonresidential construction (building, specialty trades, and heavy and civil engineering construction) employment increased by 13,300 employees in March and 63,500 employees, or 1.5%, over 12 months. However, employment in the portion of the industry that performs most infrastructure work—heavy and civil engineering construction—increased by only 4,100 over the month and 3,600 or 0.4% over the past 12 months.

Association officials noted the latest construction spending figures from February show that public-sector construction spending declined by 8% during the past twelve months. They cautioned that continued declines on public-sector construction activity are likely to impact future hiring trends. As a result, they urged Trump administration officials and members of Congress to work together to craft and enact a new infrastructure funding package, as the President has promised to do.