Construction Firms Add 11,000 Employees in October 2016

Words: Dan Kamys4 November 2016 — According to analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America, construction employers added 11,000 jobs in October 2016. Despite declines in public sector investments in construction projects, employment in the sector is at the highest level since December 2008. Association officials noted that average hourly earnings for construction workers increased by 3.2 percent compared to 12 months ago, as firms continue to expand amid shortages of available qualified workers. Construction employment totaled 6,679,000 in October, an increase of 11,000 from September and 195,000 (3.0 percent) from a year ago. The annual rate of increase in construction employment was nearly twice as fast as the 1.7 percent increase for total non-farm payroll employment. There were 512,000 unemployed jobseekers in October who last worked in the construction industry, the lowest total for October in 10 years.

Residential construction added 4,500 jobs in October and 139,700 (5.6 percent) compared to a year ago. Non-residential construction added 6,700 jobs for the month and gained 55,000 employees compared to October 2015, a 1.4 percent gain. Construction employment is up year-over-year for all segments except heavy and civil engineering construction, which lost 1,200 jobs since October 2015.

Average hourly earnings, a measure of wages and salaries for all workers, increased 3.2 percent in construction over the past year to $28.39 in October, nearly 10 percent more than for all non-farm jobs. For the private non-farm sector, earnings rose 2.8 percent over the past 12 months to $25.92.

For the full analysis and commentary, visit www.agc.org.
How I plan to live to 130
November 2026

While talking with one of our mechanics about the importance of changing the oil and keeping equipment greased, a thought occurred to me. These simple maintenance habits keep equipment running smoothly and help prevent breakdowns when you can least afford

Damian Lang
Contractor Tip of the Month
Read More
The Frustration Of Firefighting
November 2026

I find it fascinating what happens when an owner or executive leader walks into a struggling project. Morale picks up. Production improves. People communicate better. Meetings get sharper. Problems that have been sitting around for two weeks suddenly get

Corey Adams
Building More
Read More
Motivate With Money!
November 2026

I get asked about employee incentive and profit-sharing programs with every contractor I coach. Construction business owners seem to be looking for the magic bullet that will motivate their people to work harder and produce more. Some hope that providing

George Hedley
Business Building
Read More
Manufacturer Relationships
November 2026

As a contractor, the last person I wanted to see in my office was a salesman or a sales representative. Now that I better understand being a manufacturer, I see it in a different light. As a contractor, you can control the purchasing of material, understa

Steve Fechino
Fechino Files
Read More