The construction industry had only 188,000 job openings in August, down 38% from the month before and 38% from August 2024, according to analysis of US Bureau of Labor Statistics data by industry body Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC).
ABC chief economist Anirban Basu said it was the lowest job openings rate in nearly a decade and shows the sector is contracting.
The number of people quitting construction jobs also rose sharply to 146,000 quits in August, up 62% from 90,000 quits in July, and up 15% from 127,000 quits in August last year.
The data comes on the heels of a survey by another trade body, the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), which found that 45% of firms say labour shortages are causing project delays, and that 28% of respondents reported being affected directly or indirectly by immigration enforcement activities initiated by President Trump after taking office in January.
“While this data series tends to be volatile on a month-to-month basis, the precipitous decline in job openings aligns with other indicators like construction spending and employment, both of which have fallen in recent months,” said ABC’s Anirban Basu.
“Contractors remain relatively optimistic about the next six months, according to ABC’s Construction Confidence Index, yet recent data has made it abundantly clear that the construction industry is currently contracting.”
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