AGC: Construction Added 11,000 Jobs in September

“Job openings remain stubbornly high, even though the industry has been raising hourly pay at an elevated rate,”  said the association’s chief economist, Ken Simonson, in a press release.

Seasonally adjusted construction employment totaled 8,014,000 or 0.1% last month, the release said. The construction sector has added 217,000 jobs over previous 12 months. The majority of those positions have been at nonresidential construction firms, heavy and civil engineering construction firms, and specialty trade contractors.

Association officials say that not enough future workers are exposed to construction as a possible.

“We need to show more American workers how much they can earn, and how little they will need to spend, to begin careers in construction,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s CEO.

Additionally, the association asked Congress and the Biden administration to open up avenues for more people with construction skills to lawfully enter the country and work in the construction field.

“Allowing more people into the country to lawfully work in construction will provide short-term relief for labor shortages without creating a new segment of the population that is dependent on public support,” said Sandherr.

The association is also encouraging public officials to increase investments in programs that introduce workers to construction.