Construction industry employment increased in 253 of 358 (71 percent) metro areas from June 2018 to June 2019, according to an analysis of federal employment data from the Associated General Contractors of America (AGCA).
The Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Arizona, metro area added 13,200 jobs (11 percent increase) during the June 2018-19 period, the most jobs added of any metro area. Other notable metro areas in terms of construction jobs added during the 12-month period include Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, California (11,400 jobs; 8 percent); Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas (8,800 jobs; 6 percent); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, Georgia (8,000 jobs; 6 percent); and Nassau County-Suffolk County, New York (7,600 jobs; 9 percent).
AGCA officials say the employment gains would likely have been larger if firms could find more qualified workers to hire.
“Demand for construction remains robust in most metro areas,” says Ken Simonson, AGCA’s chief economist. “But, with record job openings in construction and the lowest overall unemployment rate since 1969, it is likely even more metros would be adding construction workers if there were enough qualified jobseekers available.”
Part of the problem, AGCA says, is the nation’s higher education system does not treat technical education the same as it does traditional college education. For example, federal Pell grants are not for use in construction-focused training programs offered by technical and community colleges. The association asked Congress and the administration to pass the bipartisan JOBS Act to rectify the Pell grant problem specifically.
“It’s time to reverse the federal funding bias against career and technical education and allow students interested in vocational education to have the same opportunities available to students attending four-year colleges,” says Stephen Sandherr, CEO of AGCA. “Creating a level playing field will help introduce more young adults to the many opportunities that await in the construction industry.”