45,000 Construction Workers Added in December
With December's increase of 45,000 construction workers, 2016 ended with 263,000 more workers on construction firm payrolls, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). Reflecting a positive construction outlook, notes the AGC's chief economist Ken Simonson, the trend for the past few months is expected to continue through 2016.
The last quarter of 2015 added more than 120,000 construction workers. The AGC's outlook for 2016 shows that 71% of construction business say they plan to expand headcount in 2016, based on expectations of continue gains in construction spending by public and private market segments. Read the AGC's complete release here.
Contractors continue to worry about labor shortages, regulatory issues and health care costs, Somonson noted, with 70% of contractor reporting that it's difficult to find workers.
"With the construction industry expanding at rates not seen since the downturn, public officials need to make sure we are encouraging and preparing students to consider high-paying careers in construction,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. “As our Outlook makes clear, the industry is likely to continue expanding this year, as long as there are enough workers available for firms to hire.”
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