Florida Construction News staff writer
Construction employment jumped across the United States, with 238 out of 358 metro areas (or 66 percent) reporting job growth between October 2023 and October 2024, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). This increase is reflective of strong demand for construction services despite ongoing challenges in recruiting enough qualified workers.
Key markets in Florida also experienced notable growth in construction employment. The Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall metro area, followed by Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, led Florida with an addition of 5,900 construction jobs, a 10 percent increase in just one year. This was part of a broader trend that saw Florida’s construction industry outpace many other parts of the country.
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas, added the most construction jobs nationwide (17,800 jobs, 8 percent), but other major metro areas such as Northern Virginia (9,000 jobs, 11 percent) and Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nevada (6,300 jobs, 8 percent) also reported strong growth. In total, the nationwide trend was positive, with contractors continuing to expand their workforce to meet construction demand.
However, contractors continue to struggle to fill positions despite offering above-average wages, highlighting a critical workforce shortage. According to AGC’s chief economist, Ken Simonson, construction companies would have hired even more workers if qualified applicants were available. He pointed out that 94 percent of contractors reported difficulty in finding workers for open positions.
The average hourly earnings for construction workers in October 2024 reached $36.23 for production and non-supervisory employees, nearly 19 percent higher than the average for all private-sector production workers ($30.48 per hour). Despite these competitive wages, the labor shortage continues to be a significant impediment to growth in many areas.
Florida’s booming real estate market and ongoing infrastructure projects, especially in major cities like Miami, are contributing to this robust demand for skilled labor.
The AGC is calling on the federal government to increase funding for workforce development in fields like construction, pointing out that current investments in vocational training are insufficient compared to those for four-year college degrees. Advocates argue that a boost in funding for career training could help fill the growing number of construction vacancies nationwide, particularly in states like Florida where development is rapidly accelerating.
“Investing in training will help put many more people into high-paying construction careers, addressing both the demand for skilled workers and the supply gap,” said Jeffrey D. Shoaf, AGC’s CEO.
Click the links to view employment data, rank, and top 10.
