While the construction industry has been facing an ongoing labor shortage, job openings were flat month-over-month. According to analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data by Construction Dive, there were 339,000 open construction jobs at the end of May, a decrease of 2,000, or about 0.6%, from the month prior. As of May 2024, 4% of construction jobs were unfilled, down from 4.5% year-over-year. This slight month-to-month decline in construction job vacancies mirrors trends across all industries, with little change in hiring since April.
Despite decreases in job openings, construction’s labor woes persist. “While the number of open, unfilled construction positions has declined over the past year, the industry is still faced with widespread labor shortages,” said Associated Builders and Contractors Chief Economist Anirban Basu in a release.