Construction employment increased in 243 out of 358 metro areas between May 2016 and May 2017, according to the Associated General Contractors of America.
Riverside-San Bernadino-Ontario, Calif., added the most jobs with 16,500, followed by Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla., with 9,100; Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, Ga., with 7,900; Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nev., with 7,500; and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, Calif., with 7,000 jobs.
"Construction employment gains in many parts of the country likely would have been even more robust if it were easier for most firms to find qualified workers," said Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist, in a statement. "As a result of tight labor market conditions, many firms are opting to invest more in training, find ways to become more efficient or use new techniques like off-site prefabrication or robotics to reduce labor needs."
