According to the BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey and NAHB analysis, the number of open construction sector jobs in the US increased to 207,000 in December from 138,000 in November.
Construction Employment, US
On a three-month moving average basis, the open position rate (job openings as a per cent of total employment) for the construction sector increased to 2.3 per cent for December, said the National Association of Home Builders Tuesday.
The construction sector hiring rate, as measured on a three-month moving average basis, held steady at 5 per cent, remaining near rates set in the spring of 2015. The quits rate for construction increased to 2.2 per cent for December, the highest rate since December 2014.
The pace of hiring for the residential construction industry had been slowing over the course of 2015. With the recent jumps however, the six-month average of monthly employment growth is now a robust 18,000.
Residential construction employment now stands at 2.571 million, broken down as 716,000 builders and 1.855 million residential specialty trade contractors.
In January, the unemployment rate for construction workers decreased slightly to 6.7 per cent on a seasonally adjusted basis, up from the cycle low of 6.5 per cent set during July. The unemployment rate for the construction occupation has been on a general decline since reaching a peak rate of 22 per cent in February 2010.