However, shifts in hires, quits, discharges, and layoffs helped to create some job openings
March 19, 2025
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Construction job openings declined year-over-year by more than 40%.
Construction job openings started the year on a bad footing, with Construction Dive reporting a 42% decrease in job openings from January 2024 to 2025. This is a shakeup from the month prior when openings were up by 15%. Additionally, the beginning of the year saw a lot of turnover in employment. Hires and separations—which includes discharges, quits, and layoffs—accelerated to the fastest rate recorded since the beginning of 2024. Total discharges remained consistent with the same time last year, while layoffs decreased by 18.5% and quits increased by about 21% year-over-year.
“The continued decline in job openings suggests that while demand for workers remains, contractors are becoming more cautious about hiring amid uncertainty about tariffs, project pipelines and future economic conditions,” Macrina Wilkins, senior research analyst for the Associated General Contractors of America, told Construction Dive.Read more
