ARLINGTON, Va. — Construction employers added 17,000 jobs in November as the sector’s employment hit the highest level since August 2009 and the industry unemployment rate fell to 8.6 percent, according to new analysis of government data by the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America, which noted the new employment figures come as construction spending levels hit a four-year high in October.
“While these new employment figures are very encouraging, growth remains uneven by segment, region, and time period,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “There are likely to be continuing variations in growth between the homebuilding, private nonresidential, and public sectors.”