Construction’s hiring pace was among the most robust of all sectors
The construction industry ranked among the strongest sectors for job growth in November, adding an estimated 28,000 positions overall in November, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Dec. 16 jobs report.
The positive numbers extended across construction in three broad sectors, with building contractors adding 8,500 positions, and heavy and civil firms hiring an additional 5,000 workers.
Specialty trade companies led the job hiring, collectively boosting employment by an estimated 15,000. Among these firms, nonresidential specialty trade contractors added 18,700 positions, while those focused on residential projects cut an estimated 3,700 jobs.
The next-strongest sector was led by building contractors, with nonresidential firms adding an estimated 5,100 positions and residential contractors boosting employment by 3,400.
The heavy and civil engineering construction sector added an estimated 5,000 positions in November.
Anirban Basu, chief economist with Associated Builders and Contractors, noted construction’s recent positive jobs growth compared with earlier months.
“The industry has added 52,000 jobs since August,» Basu said in a press release. He termed this hiring increase «a stark reversal from the 9,000 jobs lost during the first eight months of the year.
“This recent rebound has been led by rapid growth in nonresidential specialty trade contractor employment, a trend that is at least partially due to the surging need for electricians caused by the data center construction boom,» Basu added.
Basu also noted the latest data from ABC’s Construction Confidence Index, commenting, «While overall industry employment growth may remain sluggish due to ongoing residential segment job losses, nonresidential contractors remain optimistic about their staffing levels.»
Macrina Wilkins, a senior research analyst at the Associated General Contractors of America, noted continued demand for workers in the nonresidential sector.
“Construction employment rebounded in November and continued to grow faster than overall nonfarm payrolls,” Wilkins said in a press release. “The underlying trends still point to steady demand for nonresidential construction, even as parts of the residential market remain soft.”
