The number of construction workers inched up by 8,000 in July - a 15-month high, the Associated General Contractors said. 

The number of construction workers inched up by 8,000 in July - a 15-month high, according to an analysis of employment data by the Associated General Contractors of America.

However, the associated noted that employment levels remain far below the industry’s 2006 peak of 7.7 million, and are unlikely to rebound substantially anytime soon.

“It is encouraging that the construction industry has added 54,000 jobs - or 1 percent - since hitting bottom last January,” said Ken Simonson, the AGC’s chief economist. “However, unemployed workers are leaving the industry at seven times the rate they are finding jobs in it, which suggests future expansion will be hard to achieve.”