R.I. again ranks 20th for construction job growth

Jose Marcano, left, president of JM Painting & Plastering, discusses a job with Michael J. Behan Jr., president of Behan Bros. General Contractors and Construction Managers. Rhode Island ranked 20th among all states and the District of Columbia in terms of construction job growth in December. / PBN FILE PHOTO/ MICHAEL SALERNO
Jose Marcano, left, president of JM Painting & Plastering, discusses a job with Michael J. Behan Jr., president of Behan Bros. General Contractors and Construction Managers. Rhode Island ranked 20th among all states and the District of Columbia in terms of construction job growth in December. / PBN FILE PHOTO/ MICHAEL SALERNO

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island ranked 20th among all states and the District of Columbia in terms of construction employment growth in December, according to the Associated General Contractors of America.

This was the second month in a row that the Ocean State made the No. 20 spot. It gained 900 jobs, for a 5.7 percent gain, bringing the total number of jobs to 16,800 in December.

North Dakota experienced a 25.7 percent increase in construction jobs, ranking it No. 1 on the list. In December, it had 40,600 construction jobs, 8,300 more than in December 2013.

On a month-over-month basis, Rhode Island ranked No. 34 for construction job growth for its 0.6 percent job gain in December. It gained 100 jobs, as November construction employment was 16,700.

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Montana ranked No. 1 for month-over-month job growth with a gain of 2,300 jobs, or 9.9 percent, to 25,600.

Rhode Island was one of 40 states and the District of Columbia that added jobs between December 2013 and December 2014, and one of 38 states that added construction employment between November and December.

Texas added more new construction jobs (47,500 jobs, 7.7 percent) between December 2013 and December 2014. Other states that added a high number of new construction jobs for the past 12 months included Florida (34,300 jobs, 8.9 percent), California (26,000 jobs, 4.0 percent), Illinois (20,200 jobs, 10.6 percent) and Washington (14,100 jobs, 9.5 percent).
Ten states lost construction jobs during the past 12 months. West Virginia lost the highest percentage (-9.1 percent, -3,000 jobs). Other states that lost a high percentage of jobs include Mississippi (-7.5 percent, -4,000 jobs), Hawaii (-4.5 percent, -1,400 jobs) and Arizona (-3.4 percent, -4,300 jobs).

“Part of the reason for the positive December construction employment figures was the exceptionally harsh weather in much of December 2013 and November 2014 and milder than normal weather in December 2014,” Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, said in a statement. “Nevertheless, the underlying trend is very positive, with construction employment expanding at more than double the rate for total nonfarm payroll jobs.”

Association officials said the latest construction employment figures are consistent with optimism expressed by many contractors in its annual construction hiring and business outlook survey: 80 percent of contractors reported that they plan to add new construction jobs in 2015.
“The construction industry appears on track to add many new construction jobs in 2015,” Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s CEO, said in a statement.

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