Construction firms added 28,000 employees in December and continued to raise wages for hourly workers more than other sectors, as the industry’s unemployment rate fell to a record low for the month, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government data.

Construction contractors are less optimistic about many private-sector segments than they were a year ago, but their expectations for the public sector market have remained relatively bullish, according to survey results released Jan. 4 by the Associated General Contractors of America and Sage. The findings are detailed in High Hopes for Public Sector Funding Amid Workforce and Supply Chain Challenges: The 2023 Construction Hiring & Business Outlook.

Total construction spending increased by 0.2 percent in November, dragged down by a lack of new infrastructure projects along with a continuing slide in homebuilding, according to an analysis the Associated General Contractors of America released Jan. 3 of federal spending data. Association officials urged leaders in Washington to speed the release of funds authorized by infrastructure laws passed in 2021 and 2022 and address regulatory delays associated with those projects.

Construction employment increased in 268 of 358 metro areas between November 2021 and November 2022, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government employment data. Association officials said the job gains likely would have been higher, but that many contractors report that demand for new projects is outpacing the availability of workers in many parts of the country.

The price of materials and services used in nonresidential construction continued rising at a double-digit rate in November from a year earlier, propelled by outsized increases in the cost of a variety of building materials, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released Dec. 9. Association officials noted that contractors are having to pay more both for materials and for the subcontractor services they need to finish most projects.

The Associated General Contractors of America released a series of video public service ads Dec. 6 that feature real industry professionals who have felt the impact of suffering with mental health issues while trying to maintain the normalcy of day-to-day life and work. These videos are part of the association’s ongoing efforts to combat high suicide rates and improve mental health among the industry’s workers.

Construction companies added 20,000 employees in November and continued to raise wages for hourly workers more steeply than other sectors as the industry’s unemployment rate tumbled, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government data. Association officials said the data shows that firms would have added significantly more workers if they could find more people to hire.

Total construction spending decreased by 0.3 percent for the month of October, with downturns in homebuilding and most major nonresidential categories, according to an analysis the Associated General Contractors of America released Dec. 1 of federal spending data. Association officials noted contractors are struggling to complete projects as the number of open positions at the end of October topped hires in the month.

Construction employment increased in 268, or 75 percent, of 358 metro areas between October 2021 and October 2022, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government employment data. Association officials noted, however, that job vacancies outpaced hiring, as construction firms struggle to find enough qualified workers to hire.

A measure of construction contractors’ bid prices moved sharply higher in October as firms coped with ongoing supply chain challenges and a tight labor market, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released Nov. 15. Association officials said rising construction costs threaten to undermine demand for projects and urged administration officials to remove remaining tariffs on construction materials and to boost investments in construction-focused education and training.