Construction industry builds up steam, adds 14,000 jobs

[babylonsister]

Construction industry builds up steam, adds 14,000 jobs

The U.S. figures for April mark the first back-to-back monthly gains in that sector since 2006. California still sees a drop in the industry's workforce but at a slower pace.


By Alana Semuels, Los Angeles Times

May 24, 2010


The drills, saws and sanders that fell silent during the economic slowdown are beginning to whir again. For the first time in years, U.S. builders are hiring laborers.

The nation's construction industry added 14,000 jobs nationwide in April, according to the Labor Department, marking the first back-to-back monthly gains in that sector since 2006.

In all, 29 states gained construction jobs that month, according to data released Friday by the Associated General Contractors of America. The U.S. industry has been bolstered in part by federal stimulus funds for infrastructure and the slow but steady improvement in the housing market.

Although building jobs have not yet begun to pick up in California, the industry here is showing improvement. The value of permits in California's private building industry totaled $2.2 billion in March 2010, up 8.1% from the same period last year and 29% from February, according to the Construction Industry Research Board. The number of residential building permits issued in the first three months of the year was up 29% from the same period last year.

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http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-building-jobs-20100524,0,6881237.story

[NJmaverick]

1. K&R

[Ruby the Liberal]

2. Yay!! Thanks for the good news!

[babylonsister]

4. It's nice to read good stuff occasionally; hopefully this helps out

someone around here.

[leftstreet]

3. The construction industry's lost over 2 million jobs n/t