Construction jobs rise 2% in Prov. metro in November

WATERROWER INC. is constructing a 28,000-square-foot building next to its recently renovated and expanded manufacturing facility in Warren. The Providence-Warwick-Fall River metropolitan area ranked 160th in the U.S. for 2 percent construction job growth over the year in November, the Associated General Contractors of America said Wednesday. / PBN FILE PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY
WATERROWER INC. is constructing a 28,000-square-foot building next to its recently renovated and expanded manufacturing facility in Warren. The Providence-Warwick-Fall River metropolitan area ranked 160th in the U.S. for 2 percent construction job growth over the year in November, the Associated General Contractors of America said Wednesday. / PBN FILE PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY

PROVIDENCE – The Providence-Warwick-Fall River metropolitan area ranked 160th in the United States for 2 percent construction job growth over the year in November, the Associated General Contractors of America said Wednesday.
The Providence metro was among 211 metro areas that had an increase in construction employment over the year. Construction employment in the Providence metro increased to 24,100 in November from 23,700 in November 2015.
The Norwich-New London-Westerly metropolitan area ranked 283rd for losing 100 jobs over the year, falling to 4,200 jobs from 4,300 jobs. The Norwich, Conn., metro was among 86 that lost employment over the time period. Another 61 metros had no change in construction employment.
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Colo., and Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Fla., added the most construction jobs during the past year at 9,600 each. The largest percentage gain – 21 percent – occurred in Boise City, Idaho.
The largest job loss over the year was in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas, with a 12,700-job decrease. The largest percentage decline for the past year was in Casper, Wyo., at 15 percent.
Association officials said construction gains appear to be limited in many parts of the country by labor shortages.
“The incoming administration has a unique opportunity to leverage its new infrastructure program to attract the next generation into high-paying construction careers,” Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s CEO, said in a statement. “Putting new workforce development measures in place will make it easier for construction firms to keep pace with growing public- and private-sector demand.”

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