Trade Fights Appear to be Undermining Demand for Many Types of Private-Sector Projects; Association Officials Urge the Trump Administration to Quickly Resolve Disputes with China, the European Union and Other Countries

Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas and Pocatello, Idaho Have Largest Gains; New York City and Longview, Texas Lag the Most as Industry Calls for Comprehensive Immigration Reform and Additional Workforce Funding

Texas and Nevada Have Biggest Number and Percent of Annual Job Gains, While Louisiana Has Largest Losses; Texas and Hawaii Experience Largest One-Month Gains as Virginia and North Dakota Have Worst Declines

Industry’s Job Gains and Average Hourly Earnings Outpace Broader Economy as Association Survey Finds Contractors Expect to Keep Hiring; Officials Urge Boost to Career and Technical Education, Immigration

Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas and Auburn-Opelika, Ala. Have Largest Gains; Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, N.C., Fairbanks, Alaska, and Longview, Texas Lag the Most as Industry Calls for New Workforce Funding

Association Survey Finds Projects Take Longer than Anticipated as Contractors Cope with Staffing Challenges; Officials Urge Increased Investment in Career and Technical Education, Greater Immigration for Qualified Workers

Texas and North Dakota Have Biggest Number and Percent Annual Job Gains, While Louisiana and Vermont Lag; Florida and Nevada Experience Largest One-Month Gains as Tennessee and Wyoming Have Worst Declines

Forty-two states added construction jobs between June 2018 and June 2019, while construction employment increased in 30 states from May to June, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data released today. Association officials said the new construction employment data demonstrates the need for new federal investments in career and technical education programs, along with immigration reform.

Construction employment increased by 21,000 jobs in June and by 224,000, or 3.2 percent, over the past 12 months, while the number of unemployed jobseekers with construction experience fell, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that firms continue to increase pay as they work to attract new hires from an ever-tighter labor market.