Even as the construction industry was weighed down by rising interest rates last year, construction employment has grown. A recent data report published by the Associated General Contractors of America showed that there were more construction jobs in 45 states in February compared to the same month a year earlier. Additionally, there were more construction jobs added in 24 states from January 2023 to February 2023.
The steepest year-over-year employment gains were felt in Texas with an increase of 37,900 jobs (a 5 percent increase from the year prior), New York with 20,400 jobs added (a 5.3 percent increase), Florida with 19,700 jobs (3.3 percent), Nevada with 12,100 jobs (11.8 percent), and Georgia with 11,700 jobs (5.5 percent). Meanwhile, the biggest annual losses were felt in West Virginia which saw a drop in 2,200 job opportunities (a 6.5 percent decrease), Colorado lost 1,500 jobs (a 0.8 percent decrease), and South Dakota lost 1,200 jobs (4.6 percent).
Officials from the association claimed that the annual job growth is an indication that demand for construction is still strong, but they continued to issue a warning that labor shortages are still throttling many businesses.