Construction jobs decline in Providence metro, across U.S.

YEAR OVER YEAR in May, construction employment declined in 164 out of 337 metro areas, including the Providence-Fall River-Warwick metro, according to data released Tuesday by the Associated General Contractors of America. / BLOOMBERG FILE PHOTO/SAM HODGSON
YEAR OVER YEAR in May, construction employment declined in 164 out of 337 metro areas, including the Providence-Fall River-Warwick metro, according to data released Tuesday by the Associated General Contractors of America. / BLOOMBERG FILE PHOTO/SAM HODGSON

WASHINGTON – Year over year in May, construction employment declined in 164 out of 337 metro areas, including the Providence-Fall River-Warwick metro, according to data released Tuesday by the Associated General Contractors of America.

Construction employment in the Providence-Fall River-Warwick metro area dropped 7 percent to 18,400 in May from 19,800 in May 2011.

The 1,400 employee loss places the Providence-Fall River-Warwick metro area 272 out of 337 on the AGC’s analysis of federal employment data.

Comparatively, the Bakersfield-Delano, Calif., metro area ranked first with a 22 percent year-over-year increase in construction jobs and the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla. metro area scored worst with a 14 percent loss in construction jobs during the same period.

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The New Bedford metro area saw a 5 percent loss in construction jobs from May 2011 to May 2012, dropping from 2,200 to 2,100 during that period.

“The number of metro areas losing construction jobs continues to increase compared to earlier this year,” Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, said in a release accompanying the report.

Statewide, Rhode Island lost 100, or 1 percent, of construction jobs between May 2011 and May 2012. The Ocean State’s number of employed construction workers dropped from 15,900 in May 2011 to 15,800 in May 2012.

“Considering the ongoing cuts to public construction budgets, there just isn’t enough construction activity in many areas to sustain the same employment levels as last year,” added Simonson.

To view the full data report, visit www.agc.org.

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