US construction employment increased in 250 out of 358 metro areas between September 2016 and September 2017, declined in 56 and stagnated in 52, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America.
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif. added the most construction jobs during the past year (16,200 jobs, 17 percent). The largest percentage gains occurred in the Wenatchee, Wash. metro area (19 percent, 500 jobs).
The largest job losses from September 2016 to September 2017 were in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas (-11,000 jobs, -5 percent). The largest percentage decreases for the year were in Grand Forks, N.D.-Minn. (-23 percent, -1,100 jobs).
Association officials said that even as construction firms continue to expand most firms report having a hard time finding qualified workers to hire, particularly for craft positions. They added that construction firms will likely add even more new jobs in many parts of the country if Congress and the President work together to increase funding and add flexibility to the federal career and technical education program known as the Perkins Act.