At the end of November 2023, the construction industry had 459,000 job openings, according to Associated Builders and Contractors' analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) data, which defines a job opening as any unfilled position for which an employer is actively recruiting. That was an increase of 43,000 from October 2023 and an 111,000 increase compared with November 2022.
“The number of open, unfilled construction positions increased to the highest level since the end of 2022,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “November’s 5.4% job opening rate is higher than at any point from the start of the data series in 2000 to the end of 2021. Contractors continue to grapple with skilled labor shortages even as the demand for and supply of labor in the broader economy rebalances.
Advertisement
Related Stories
Construction
Demand—and Competition—for Skilled Construction Workers Grows
Strongest need seen for construction superintendents, with other job titles for skilled trades also in high demand
Labor + Trade Relations
Residential Building Wages Rise Again in March
Wage growth for residential building workers continued during March, but at a slower pace than during the previous month
Labor + Trade Relations
Which States Have the Highest Wages for Construction Workers?
Data show that construction workers in the Northeast and on the Pacific coast have some of the highest hourly earnings, while earnings in construction grew faster in the southern states