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    Analysis

    June 7, 2022

    May Construction Employment Climbs, Firms Scramble to Fill Positions: AGC

    Written by David Schollaert

    Construction employment increased by 36,000 jobs in May backed by rapidly rising hourly earnings. And a record number of job openings suggests contractors are seeking to hire even more workers, the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) reported.

    “It is encouraging that contractors were able to add workers in May, but they will need many more to meet the increasing demand for infrastructure and private nonresidential projects,” AGC chief economist Ken Simonson said. “Despite steeply rising pay for hourly workers, job openings in construction hit an all-time high at the end of April, while the industry’s low unemployment rate suggests experienced workers are scarce.”

    David Schollaert

    David Schollaert is deputy editor-in-chief for Steel Market Update. David joined SMU after more than a decade in the metals and mining industry in a myriad of different roles. Much of his early experience and expertise were within the coverage and analysis of steel-making raw materials and served previously as senior editor of the CRU Prices Service. Most recently, however, before his return to market analysis, David held roles as a metals buyer and an operations manager for raw material suppliers. He can be contacted at david@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-720-1008.

    Read more from David Schollaert

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