Construction employment increases in June in Prov. metro

CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYMENT increased 3 percent over the year in June in the Providence-Warwick-Fall River metropolitan area, according to the Associated General Contractors of America. / COURTESY ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF AMERICA
CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYMENT increased 3 percent over the year in June in the Providence-Warwick-Fall River metropolitan area, according to the Associated General Contractors of America. / COURTESY ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF AMERICA

PROVIDENCE – The Providence-Warwick-Fall River metropolitan area was among 228 out of 358 metro areas nationwide that experienced construction-employment growth over the year in June.
The Associated General Contractors of America said this week that construction employment increased 3 percent, to 23,300 in June from 22,600 in June 2015.
That growth ranked the Providence metro 165th among the 358 metro areas. The Norwich-New London-Westerly metropolitan area ranked 192nd for 2 percent construction job growth over the year, to 4,200 from 4,100.
The association said construction employment was unchanged in 48 metros and declined in 82 between June 2015 and June 2016.
“Contractors are adding employees in most parts of the country, while construction job losses are primarily in areas that are most affected by the steep decline in oil and gas drilling,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, adding that construction employment hit new peak levels in 32 metro areas. “However, increases in construction employment are becoming less widespread as more contractors run into difficulty finding qualified workers.”
Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, Calif., added the most construction jobs during the past year (12,500 jobs, 14 percent). The largest percentage gains occurred in Kokomo, Ind., (20 percent, 200 jobs); Boise City, Idaho, (19 percent, 3,600 jobs); Brockton-Bridgewater-Eastern, Mass., (17 percent, 800 jobs) and Danville, Ill., (17 percent, 100 jobs).
The largest job loss over the year was in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas, (-3,300 jobs, -2 percent). The largest percentage decline for the past year was in Bloomington, Ill., (-19 percent, -600 jobs).

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