R.I. construction jobs fell 5.6% year over year in October

RHODE ISLAND RANKED 50th in the nation for losing 5.6 percent of construction jobs in October when compared with October 2014, according to the Associated General Contractors of America, which also included Washington, D.C. in the ranking. Rhode Island was only ahead of West Virginia, which lost 17.3 percent of construction jobs year over year. / COURTESY ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF AMERICA
RHODE ISLAND RANKED 50th in the nation for losing 5.6 percent of construction jobs in October when compared with October 2014, according to the Associated General Contractors of America, which also included Washington, D.C. in the ranking. Rhode Island was only ahead of West Virginia, which lost 17.3 percent of construction jobs year over year. / COURTESY ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF AMERICA

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island was next to last in the nation for its lack of construction employment growth in October, according to the Associated General Contractors of America.
The Ocean State saw construction employment fall 5.6 percent, to 15,300 jobs, a 900-job loss from 16,200 reported in October 2014.
However, when comparing construction job numbers on a monthly basis, Rhode Island ranked third in the nation for its 3.4 percent increase from September to October. During that period, construction jobs increased by 500, the association said.
Rhode Island was among only seven states that reported construction employment declines year over year. But it was one of 35 states that saw construction employment climb over the past month, according to the association’s analysis of U.S. Labor Department data.

“Construction job gains were more widespread than at any time since last February,” Ken Simonson, chief economist for the association, said in a statement. “Several states that had recently experienced year-over-year job losses began adding workers, while net employment gains accelerated in numerous other states.”

California added the most new construction jobs at 49,800 year over year. Arkansas added the highest percentage of new construction jobs during the past year at 18.1 percent.

Year over year, West Virginia lost the highest percentage and total number of construction jobs at 17.3 percent and 5,800 jobs.

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New York added the most construction jobs between September and October at 7,800. Idaho and Montana both added the highest percentage of construction jobs during the past month at 4.6 percent, the association said.

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