Employment in the construction industry rose by 15,000 in March, its first gain since June 2007, according to data released Friday.
The industry’s unemployment rate dropped slightly from 27.1 percent in February to 24.9 percent last month.
“The persistence of depression-like unemployment in construction is ominous for an industry that already faced challenges in retaining and attracting skilled crafts workers and supervisors,” said Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America.
The industry continues to outpace the overall economy in wage rates, Simonson said. Hourly earnings for all workers in construction in March averaged $25.27, seasonally adjusted, 12.5 percent higher than the average for all nonfarm payroll workers.
Margaret Jackson, The Denver Post; Getty Images file photo
