Construction Employment Levels Increase in DC

The employment picture for construction workers in the area of DC is looking particularly positive as the employment levels for these workers hit an all-time high during the month of August. Employment levels for construction workers have not been this high for the past two decades. According to economists, the reason the employment levels have increased for construction workers is because there is a lot of demand in the area for new building to be created, both within the public sector and the private sector as well. A total of around 14,300 individuals held a job in the construction sector in the Washington DC area during the month of August, which was a total increase of 14 percent from the same month during the previous year, back in 2011. That information was provided by the Associated General Contractors of America and their analysis of employment levels for construction workers.

James Bohnaker, the associated economist at Moody’s Analytics, has said, “Construction has been a relative bright spot.” The population within the city has also increased which has caused a need for more residences to be built so that people can actually have a place to live. Many of the people who have recently moved to the area are looking to move into an apartment instead of a house, which means that there is a need for more apartment complexes to be built. Economists say that this is a growing trend with residents wanting to live in an apartment and that it has become quite common for the average urban individual. Many people are putting off buying a home because of the way that the economy is at this point in time.

Along with the need for more homes and apartments to be built, a number of commercial projects have been put in the works, helping to increase the industry as well. One of the projects, CityCenterDC, is worth a total of $950 million and is being placed where the old convention center is located. With projects like these, many construction workers are able to find work with absolutely no problem at all. Government projects are also contributing to the growth. A firm in Rockville, Davis Construction, says that it has hired more than three dozen new employees since the beginning of the year. The vice president for Davis, Debbi Carter, has said, “It has been a strong year.” The growth of construction jobs in the area is helping to put a lot of people back to work while helping the unemployment levels to decline, which is always a good thing.