PROVIDENCE – Construction employment in the Providence-Warwick-Fall River metropolitan area increased 0.8% year over year to 25,100 in May, according to the Associated General Contractors of America Wednesday.
The metro area’s construction employment growth rate ranked No. 223 among 358 measured metro areas in the United States.
Construction employment grew in 249 out of 358 metro areas between May 2018 and May 2019, declined in 57 and was unchanged in 52.
In the New Bedford metro area, construction employment remained level year over year at 2,600 jobs.
Construction employment in the Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, Mass., metro area grew 3.8% to 5,500 jobs, while the Taunton-Middleborough-Norton, Mass., metro area declined 2.9% year over year to 3,400 jobs.
In the Norwich-New London, Conn.-Westerly metro area, construction employment increased 7.9% year over year to 4,100 jobs.
“Many of our member firms report they are having a hard time finding qualified workers to keep pace with demand for construction services,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, AGCA CEO. “Even though firms are raising pay, boosting training and adding hiring incentives to recruit workers, many are still struggling to find as many employees as they need.”
