Construction jobs down, but not because there’s less work

The number of construction jobs dipped in August – even though contractors wanted to hire more workers, according to a report today.

There were 199,000 more workers in the sector than a year ago, but 6,000 fewer than a month ago, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America.

The dip comes after a year in which construction hiring was twice as fast as other job growth, said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist.

Yet the problem is not a sudden reversal in the number of projects or even a flurry of completions eliminating the need for workers.

Just the opposite, Simonson said. “A variety of indicators suggest contractors would be adding to headcount if they could find qualified workers.”

As it is, there were fewer unemployed workers with construction experience than in any August since 2000, he said.

As the AJC reported earlier this week, the association held a press conference at an Atlanta construction site to decry the shortage of workers and call for programs that would prepare young people for careers in the sector.