Hardware Retailing The Industry's Source for Insights and Information
The number of open positions in the construction sector increased in September, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). The current level of open jobs is down from three years ago due to declines in construction activity, particularly in housing, while strength in construction in subsectors like data center construction is creating demand for construction workers. Increasing immigration enforcement actions are also having an effect on worker availability, which is contributing to upward pressure for the number of open positions, according to an analysis from the National Association of Home Builders.
The number of open jobs for the overall economy increased in September, rising to 7.5 million. In the construction sector, the number of open jobs increased from 262,000 in August to 298,000 in September, up from 206,000 a year ago.
While homebuilding employment has declined over the last year, other sectors of the construction industry, like data center construction, have expanded. The industry also faces challenges in terms of no-shows at work sites related to immigration enforcement.
The construction job openings rate increased to 3.4% in September and is up from 2.4% a year ago. The construction hiring rate increased to 4.3% in September, up from the 4.1% rate estimated a year ago. The layoff rate in construction was 1.6% in September and the quits rate rose to 2.4% in the month.
