Recent numbers released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that the construction industry is picking up steam across the nation. In addition to the District of Columbia, 37 states increased their jobs within this field between October 2013 and October 2014.
Florida took the lead, adding nearly 39,000 positions, increasing the sector’s employment by over 10 percent. Texas followed closely behind, creating 38,500 positions and expanding its industry by 6.2 percent. California added 34,300 openings, while Illinois gave work to almost 15,000 people in the field. Other states that experienced significant increases include Utah, North Dakota and Wisconsin. Some of the states not following this nationwide trend include New Jersey, Mississippi, Kentucky and West Virginia, all of which saw a decline in construction employment.
A press release noted that many states appearing to experience job loss within the industry are actually having trouble filling spots, making it hard for smaller companies to accept projects.
“Many firms are having a hard time expanding their payrolls as wages rise, costs grow and market demand remains varies greatly from one segment to the next,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, BLS’ chief executive officer, in the release.