Associated General Contractors' Ken Simonson

ARLINGTON, VA—Employment growth nationally saw a slowdown in April, and the construction sector was no exception. The industry saw a net gain of 1,000 jobs in April, well below the sharp increase of 37,000 construction jobs in March, according to data released Friday by the Associated General Contractors of America.

“Some of the slowdown in hiring last month was due to mild winter weather that allowed contractors to hire or retain workers in the first quarter instead of waiting until spring,” says Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. “Yet reports from contractors and recent Census Bureau data on construction spending through March suggest industry demand for workers will remain robust, if firms can find employees with the right skills.”

Another indicator that bodes well for industry demand was the latest Dodge Momentum Index from Dodge Data & Analytics, also released Friday, measuring initial reports for nonresidential building projects in planning. The index rose 0.6% to 116.5 from its revised March reading of 115.8, due to increased planning activity for both commercial and institutional building.

The AGC says construction employment totaled 6.67 million in April, the highest level since December 2008, and representing a year-over-year increase of 261,000 jobs or 4.1%. Residential construction employment, including residential building and specialty trade contractors, declined by 3,800 in April but is up by 140,800, or 5.7%, from the year-ago period. Nonresidential construction added 4,400 jobs for the month and is up 120,100 jobs compared to April 2015, a 3% Y-O-Y increase.

April's employment report follows positive news the association released earlier this week on construction spending. March spending reached a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.138 trillion, up 8% from the year-ago period. With most private-sector categories seeing increased spending during March, AGC officials also noted new federal investments in surface transportation programs.

Instant Insights /

Construction Jobs, Spending Tick Upward

Related Stories

Recommended For You