ABC Says Construction Hiring Remains Subdued in June
The construction industry had 246,000 job openings on the last day of June, according to analysis of federal data by the Associated Builders and Contractors.
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Industry job openings increased by 14,000 last month but remain down by 39,000 from the same time last year.
“While industrywide job openings increased in June, the share of all construction positions that are unfilled remains low by recent standards,” said Anirban Basu, ABC chief economist. “More importantly, the hiring rate during the first half of 2025 was lower than during the first six months of any year since the start of the data series in 2000”
He noted that because contractors have also been laying workers off at a historically slow pace, industrywide employment continues to edge higher, but few job openings and sluggish hiring suggest weak demand for labor.
“That said, these data likely reflect the fact that the residential segment has struggled mightily this year, while nonresidential employment data have been more upbeat,” Basu said.
According to ABC’s Construction Confidence Index, fewer than 14% of ABC members expect their staffing levels to decrease during the second half of 2025.
“This suggests that the nonresidential side of the industry will continue to add jobs during the third and fourth quarter of 2025,” Basu said.