ABC: Construction employment jumps in Sept.
Construction employment levels bounced back last month, gaining 23,000 jobs after losing 5,000 in August, the Associated Builders and Contractors said.
Using U.S. government data, ABC said residential construction added 15,700 positions and nonresidential added 2,700. The heavy and civil engineering category added 4,300 jobs. The sectors had lost 23,000 jobs in the previous five months.
ABC chief economist Anirban Basu said the gains are benefiting Americans’ pocketbooks.
“Recent reports indicate that wage growth in America has accelerated significantly over the past year,” Basu said. “Not only has this helped to support consumer spending, it appears to be inducing more people into America’s labor force. Despite recent job growth in construction and the balance of the economy last month, both industry and national unemployment rose. For operators of construction firms, this should be considered good news as survey data indicate that the lack of appropriately skilled labor represents the biggest concern for U.S. construction firms by far."
The construction industry’s employment rate increased a tenth of a percent in September and stands at 5.2 percent, the association said.
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