Construction employment was unchanged from May to June, but an increase in hourly pay and longer workweeks, along with shrinking numbers of unemployed construction workers, suggest contractors would hire more workers if they were available, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the lack of available qualified workers for firms to hire appears to be holding back employment growth and urged Congress to pass legislation to reform and increase funding for career and technical education.

Construction spending dipped in May but posted strong, broad-based gains for the first five months of 2016 compared to the same period in 2015, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the construction spending gains come amid signs that contractors are having an increasingly hard time finding qualified workers to hire.

This week Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) introduced legislation, Willing Workers and Willing Employers Act, which would create a pilot guest worker program designed to address the gap that currently exists between temporary visa programs for seasonal workers and the H-1B visa program for highly-skilled immigrants. Under current laws, there are no legal options for lesser skilled immigrants to meet current or projected future workforce needs. Immigration reform, including a guest worker program, is a component of AGC’s Workforce Development Plan aimed at alleviating the construction industry’s workforce shortage.

Thirty-nine states added construction jobs between May 2015 and May 2016 while construction employment only increased in 19 states between April and May, according to analysis of Labor Department data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said monthly construction employment levels declined in most states as many firms appear to be running out of workers to hire amid growing labor shortages.

Construction employment rose between April 2015 and April 2016 in two-thirds of the nation’s metro areas, while spending on most types of structures increased for the year despite a drop in the latest month, according to a new analysis of federal data on employment and construction spending released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said that many parts of the country continue to benefit from strong demand for construction services. “Construction growth remains widely distributed by location and project type,” said Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist.

Forty-two states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between April 2015 and April 2016 while construction employment increased in only 23 states between March and April, according to analysis of Labor Department data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the slowdown in monthly job growth was likely driven by mild winter weather that allowed firms to start their spring hiring season early, but cautioned that many firms will have a hard time finding qualified workers as demand grows.

Construction employment rose in April by 1,000 for the month and 261,000 for the year as mild winter weather and labor shortages impacted the early spring hiring season for many firms, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that construction spending continues to grow and worker shortages are likely to get worse, which is why they are launching a new online career center to help connect firms with qualified workers.

Construction spending increased by 8 percent in March compared to a year earlier and was also up slightly between February and March amid growing demand for many types of construction, as the spending total hit the highest level since October 2007, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the growth comes amid strong private-sector demand and new federal investments in surface transportation programs.

Construction employment increased in 244 out of 358 metro areas, was unchanged in 44 and declined in 70 between March 2015 and March 2016, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the new figures show that the construction sector, in most parts of the country, continues to recover from its years-long downturn.

Construction employment increased in 234 out of 358 metro areas, was unchanged in 52 and declined in 72 between February 2015 and February 2016, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that many energy-producing areas experienced job losses during the past year.