Prov. metro ranks 29th in nation for construction job growth in January

CONSTRUCTION OF an $85 million Brown University Engineering Building that will house 20 laboratory modules and classrooms and space for multidisciplinary research is underway.  / PBN FILE PHOTO/ MICHAEL SALERNO
CONSTRUCTION OF an $85 million Brown University Engineering Building that will house 20 laboratory modules and classrooms and space for multidisciplinary research is underway. / PBN FILE PHOTO/ MICHAEL SALERNO

PROVIDENCE – Construction employment increased in 243 out of 358 metropolitan areas in January, including in the Providence-Warwick metropolitan area, which saw a 12 percent jump over the year, according to the Associated General Contractors of America.
With 20,900 construction jobs in January compared with 18,700 during January 2015, the Providence metro’s percentage increase ranked it 29th for growth in the nation.
Construction employment also climbed nearly 3 percent in the Norwich-New London-Westerly, Conn.-R.I. metro area, to 3,800 jobs from 3,700, ranking it 184th.
The association said construction employment was unchanged in 43 other metro areas and declined in 72. Association officials said that many of the metro areas experiencing drops in construction employment were in energy-producing metro areas.
“Demand in most parts of the country is robust and construction employment is growing in more than two-thirds of all metro areas,” Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, said in a statement. “However, the downturn in energy prices appears to be having a significant impact on construction demand in a number of formerly strong markets.”

Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, Calif., added the most construction jobs during the past year (12,400 jobs, 15 percent). The largest percentage gains occurred in El Centro, Calif. (61 percent, 1,100 jobs); Weirton-Steubenville, W.Va.-Ohio (33 percent, 500 jobs); Monroe, Mich. (30 percent, 600 jobs); and Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury Town, Mass.-N.H. (22 percent, 800 jobs).

The largest job loss over the year was in Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas (-4,700 jobs, -6 percent). The largest percentage declines for the past year were in the Texas metros of Odessa, Greeley and Victoria (-14 percent, -900 jobs).

“The construction industry continues to expand at a faster rate than other sectors of the economy,” Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s CEO, said. “The question is whether firms will be able to continue hiring despite the challenge of finding experienced workers interested in pursuing careers in construction.”

- Advertisement -

No posts to display