According to information released from the Associated General Contractors of America, construction jobs were created in 37 states plus the District of Columbia between July 2014 and July 2015. Between June and July of this year, 28 states and Washington, D.C. recorded gains in this sector.
California experienced the most notable boom to its construction field, adding nearly 49,000 jobs over the past year – an expansion rate of 7.3 percent. Florida created 26,500 jobs for a growth of 6.6 percent, while Washington state’s construction sector contributed 15,300 new jobs to its economy, a growth of 9.6 percent. Texas and Michigan’s industries also flourished since last summer, adding 14,400 and 12,400 jobs, respectively.
Arkansas, Idaho and Nevada all experienced rapid growth rates within the year. All three states expanded their construction sectors by between 10 and 15 percent. These three states contributed a combined 18,500 construction positions to the national job market.
Despite the significant gains seen in these areas, the industry struggled to stay afloat in certain U.S. regions, as 13 states lost construction jobs during the past year. The most notable drop was seen in West Virginia, where the construction field contracted by 5,400 jobs, representing a decline of 16 percent. Rhode Island’s sector shrank by nearly 8 percent as 1,300 jobs were lost, while Ohio lost 13,800 jobs, or 7 percent of its construction workforce. Mississippi and Indiana were also among the regions that sustained significant losses.
“The uneven growth reflects the cross-cutting trends in the overall economy, as tight government budgets, plunging commodity prices and weak overseas demand lead to project cancelations in some states even while activity accelerates elsewhere,” said Ken Simonson, chief economist of the AGCA.