R.I. second-to-last nationwide for September construction job loss

RHODE ISLAND ranked 50th in the country for losing 10.9 percent of construction jobs in September when compared with September 2014, according to the Associated General Contractors of America. / COURTESY ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF AMERICA
RHODE ISLAND ranked 50th in the country for losing 10.9 percent of construction jobs in September when compared with September 2014, according to the Associated General Contractors of America. / COURTESY ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF AMERICA

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island ranked next-to-last in the nation for its lack of construction employment growth over the 12 months that ended Sept. 30, the Associated General Contractors of America said Tuesday.
Rhode Island ranked 50th, ahead of only West Virginia, for its year-over-year construction employment drop of 10.9 percent. Rhode Island’s construction employment fell to 14,700 in September from 16,500 in September 2014. West Virginia lost 16.9 percent of its construction jobs in comparison.
Arkansas ranked first for its 16.1 percent construction job gain. The list, which includes the District of Columbia, showed that among the New England states, Massachusetts ranked the highest at 29th for its 1.7 percent job gain.
Association officials blamed the loss of construction jobs on labor shortages and uncertainty about federal investment programs.
“Depending on the kind of work they perform, many contractors either can’t find enough workers, or they can’t find enough work,” Stephen E. Sandherr, association CEO, said in a statement. “While overall demand for construction continues to grow and sap the pool of available labor, firms that work on federally-funded projects are dealing with a lot of uncertainty.”

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