Construction Sector Adds 20,000 Jobs in September

The construction sector reported increased employment levels in September, with the addition of 20,000 jobs, according to the latest employment statistics from the Deptartment of Labor, as reported in an Oct. 22 Associated General Contractors of America report. The construction sector's unemployment rate dropped sharply over the past year, from 11.9 percent in September 2012 to 8.5 percent in September 2013—the lowest September rate since 2007—after showing little change in the prior six months. Moreover, construction spending, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau, increased 0.6 percent to an annual rate of $915.1 billion, the highest level since April 2009, according to the report.

Association officials cautioned that the reported data does not address any potential impacts from the recent federal government shutdown. “The shutdown likely disrupted a wide variety of projects and may have caused private investors and developers to delay decisions about new projects or plant expansions," said Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. "As a result, future spending and hiring gains may be weaker.”

Read the full report