Construction Employment Grows in Late Summer

Atlanta, GA, Oct. 10, 2011 -- Construction employers added 26,000 jobs between August and September as the industry’s unemployment rate dropped to 13.3%, according to an analysis of new federal employment data by the Associated General Contractors of America.

Association officials said the increase is the first significant change in construction employment levels since February and reflects growing private sector demand for nonresidential construction projects.

“These numbers give us a taste for how investing in construction activity can really boost overall employment figures,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. “However, the real question is whether these numbers are an anomaly or the start of a positive trend.”

Total construction employment now stands at 5,551,000, compared to 5,514,000 in September 2010, a 0.7% increase.

Association officials added that the bulk of the construction gains came from the nonresidential sector. Nonresidential building construction added 13,200 jobs in September while nonresidential specialty trade contractors added 10,700 jobs and heavy and civil engineering construction added 6,200. Meanwhile, residential building contractors added only 1,800 jobs while residential specialty trade contractors lost 5,600 jobs.

Sandherr noted that the industry’s 13.3% unemployment rate was an improvement from the 17.2% rate of a year earlier but far above the all-industry rate of 9.1%.

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