Long Island construction employment sees slight increase

Construction employment on Long Island rose again last month. 

Nassau and Suffolk counties added 600 construction jobs from Nov. 2021 to Nov. 2022, a 1 percent year-over-year gain, rising from 80,800 to 81,400, according to a report from the Associated General Contractors of America. 

Regionally, the number of construction jobs in New York City was flat from Nov. 2021 to Nov. 2022, remaining at 142,900.  

Construction employment in the Orange/Rockland/Westchester area was up 9 percent, adding 3,800 jobs from Nov. 2021 to Nov. 2022 and rising from 43,400 to 47,200. 

Between Nov. 2021 and Nov. 2022, construction employment rose in 268 metro areas, declined in 45 metro areas and remained flat in 45 areas, according to the AGCA report. 

Association officials said the job gains likely would have been higher but that many contractors report that demand for new projects is outpacing the availability of workers in many parts of the country.  

“Contractors report they are passing on projects because they do not have enough people to do the work,” Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, said in a written statement. “Labor shortages are suppressing job gains in the construction industry in many parts of the country.” 

The metro areas seeing the largest drops in construction employment from Nov. 2021 to Nov. 2022 include the Orlando, Fla. area, which lost 8,500 jobs for a 10 percent drop; the Richmond, Va. area, which lost 3,300 jobs for an 8 percent drop; and the Camden, N.J. area, which dropped 1,700 jobs for a 7 percent decline. 

Metro areas adding the most construction jobs over the last year include the Houston area, which gained 18,500 jobs for a 9 percent rise; the Dallas area, which added 13,500 jobs for a 9 percent gain; and the Seattle area, which gained 10,400 jobs for a 10 percent increase.