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Construction Industry Faces Hiring Boom

March 29, 2021
Recent analysis from ABC reveals industry will need to hire approximately 430,000 more craft professionals in 2021

In 2021, construction companies will need to hire 430,000 more workers than they employed in 2020, according to recent analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released by Associated Builders and Contractors. The analysis also revealed that every $1 billion in extra construction spending generates an average of at least 5,700 construction jobs (see Chart).

“According to forecasts analyzed during the COVID-19 pandemic, an impressive 430,000 more construction workers still need to be hired in 2021 to meet the demand, evidence that the construction industry is powering America’s recovery and economic engine,” said ABC President and CEO Michael Bellaman. “ABC’s annual forecast incorporates several variables that may affect the U.S. construction spend and employment demand over the next few years. These variables, which range from inflationary pressure, rising commodity costs, and other global supply chain concerns to the regulatory and legislative trajectory of a new administration and the vaccine rollout domestically and even globally, are considered in the ABC cone of probability.”

According to estimates from economic consulting firm Markstein Advisors, construction spending is likely to reach $1.45 trillion in 2021, up 1.3% from 2020. Under this scenario, employment demand increases by 430,000 this year from actual employment of 7,829,000 in 2020. A higher growth rate scenario could boost the number of additional construction workers needed in 2021 to nearly 1 million.

As of February, seasonally adjusted average hourly earnings in construction were 7.7% higher than total private average hourly earnings. For all of 2020, construction average hourly earnings were 7.8% higher than total private average hourly earnings.

Other key findings of the ABC analysis include an evaluation on construction spending and job creation in 2020. The spread of COVID-19 and efforts to limit its effect on the population had a substantial impact on construction activity and employment. Ironically, in 2020, nominal (not adjusted for inflation) construction spending rose by 4.8% even as employment fell by 6.3%. These factors contributed to this apparent paradox:

  • A spike in building materials and labor costs, which is attributed to shortages and supply chain disruptions.
  • A change in the mix of construction work, with an increase in residential construction, a segment that saw some of the largest price increases due to an uptick lumber prices.
  • A reduction in labor supply encouraged builders to adopt more labor-saving technology faster than usual.
  • Improvement in the scheduling and logistics of building materials delivery.
  • Increased use of prefabrication and modularization.
  • A decrease in the number of smaller, less efficient construction companies because they went out of business.

View the full 2021 forecast of construction spending, job creation, and employment demand on the organization’s website.

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