Construction Sector Employment Sees Largest Increase Since December 2008

construction jobs

Evan McDowell

Talent Acquisition Manager

The United States construction sector, like every industry, has seen its ups and downs, with jobs—and thus employment rates—routinely vacillating in accord with the up- and downswings of the national economy. The good news is that in the past year alone national construction employment rates have seen a 3% growth overall, while between October and September of this year alone the nation witnessed an increase of 11,000 employees in the industry. Furthermore, construction employment would appear to be increasing at a faster rate than most other forms of payroll employment—1.7 percent, according to the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). At present, employment in the construction industry is at its highest since 2008, and, according to the AGC, many contractors report that they feel optimistic about the future.

Growing demands for residential and nonresidential construction alike can be linked to these rising employment rates. In fact, residential construction alone has seen 139,700 new jobs in the past year—an impressive 5.6% increase. Nonresidential construction gained 55,000 new employees between October 2015 and October 2016, for an increase of 1.4%. For many analysts, these numbers bode extremely well for the industry as a whole.

That being said, while the rapid growth of construction jobs suggests both a higher demand for construction workers and more industry employment opportunities, in many instances the workers themselves are harder to find than one might imagine. In fact, as the AGC notes, employment increases in metropolitan areas between June of 2015 and this year have left many firms struggling to acquire qualified workers. This incongruence between project demand and workforce availability has a number of negative ramifications for the industry—among them longer construction schedules and high prices that can discourage eager clients. Fortunately, this is precisely the sort of situation that Austin Nichols Technical Search, a contract recruiting firm for the construction industry, can help to remedy.

A professional recruiter possesses the unique combination of abilities to cast an incredibly wide net, vet candidates whose skills and experience best reflect the specific requirements of the job, and deliver only the most viable individuals directly to you. An experienced recruiter will also employ his or her nuanced understanding of each and every position in the construction industry—be it a sales manager, designer, drafter, project manager, engineer, or other vital roles—to deliver to you the perfect individual for the job, quickly and efficiently. In the current period of rising project demand and intensifying labor shortage, a construction recruiting firm in Kansas City can make an especially big difference, helping you to expand your roster of workers by doing the heavy lifting that you and your busy team don’t have time to do.

A highly trusted Kansas City recruiting company, Austin Nichols Technical Search offers direct hire and contract recruiting for construction, engineering, manufacturing, and technical positions. Since 1988 we have been helping our clients in the region stay on top of the game by acquiring top industry talent through direct hire and contract recruiting.

 

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