R.I. grows construction employment 4.3% in July

CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYMENT in Rhode Island grew 4.3 percent in July compared with a year earlier for a total of 16,800 jobs, the Associated General Contractors of America reported Monday. Above, Karl Martone, a broker associate with Re/Max Properties in Smithfield, at the contrtuction site of a new home in Lincoln. / PBN FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO
CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYMENT in Rhode Island grew 4.3 percent in July compared with a year earlier for a total of 16,800 jobs, the Associated General Contractors of America reported Monday. Above, Karl Martone, a broker associate with Re/Max Properties in Smithfield, at the contrtuction site of a new home in Lincoln. / PBN FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

ARLINGTON, Va. – Construction companies in Rhode Island added 700 construction jobs in July compared with the same month last year, an increase of 4.3 percent that ranked the state 20th in the country for highest percentage of construction jobs gained year over year, the Associated General Contractors of America reported Monday.

Massachusetts, which added 2,400 jobs between July 2013 and July 2014, ranked at No. 32 for its year-over-year increase of 2 percent. Construction jobs in the Bay State totaled 125,000 in July, the AGC reported, while the Rhode Island total was 16,800.

“The overall trend in construction employment has been very consistent in 2014, with more than three-fourths of states adding jobs each month on a year-over-year basis,” said Ken Simonson, chief economist of the AGC. “However, growing numbers of contractors say they are having trouble finding skilled workers or subcontractors that can supply such workers.”

On a year-over-year basis, 39 states added construction jobs in July, while 11 states and the District of Columbia lost jobs. Nevada had the largest percent increase, at 13.4 percent, followed by Delaware with 13.3 percent and Florida with 11.1 percent.

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Month over month between June and July, the AGC reported that construction employment increased in 34 states and decreased in 15 states and the District of Columbia. In Rhode Island, the industry saw no change in employment over the month.

Massachusetts posted a gain of 1,900 construction jobs between June and July, an increase of 1.5 percent.

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