Report: Phoenix third in nation for new construction jobs
Jul 30, 2013, 2:57 PM | Updated: Aug 23, 2013, 12:41 pm
PHOENIX – Despite the summer heat of the Valley, the city of Phoenix has its share of construction workers tirelessly working day in and day out.
According to the Phoenix Business Journal, new data from the Associated General Contractors of America revealed that the Phoenix metro area ranks third when it comes to new construction work.
From June 2012 to June 2013, Phoenix added 9,600 jobs for a total construction workforce of 97,700 last month.
According to the data, Phoenix’s job growth rate was at 11 percent, one of the strongest of the metro areas.
“Although construction activity remains extremely spotty, with strong residential activity offsetting lackluster private nonresidential investment and shrinking public construction spending, workers are being hired in more and more metro areas,” he [Ken Simonson, chief economist with the AGCA] said.
But with a shaky economy, certain officials said construction companies still face challenges.
“Construction employment is heading in the right direction for now, but demand remains weak and the industry’s recovery is still very fragile,” said Stephen Sandherr, the association’s CEO. “Beyond the obvious threats to the broader economy, cutting investments in vital infrastructure projects puts some of these new construction jobs at risk.”
