From December 2013 to December 2014, the construction field expanded in more than 250 metropolitan areas, according to a report released by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) on Wednesday.
The AGC report noted that Texas' Dallas-Plano-Irving metro area showed the most growth, adding 15,200 jobs. The Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown metro area in Texas saw an increase of 14,900 construction jobs to claim the No. 2 spot.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Bethesda-Rockville-Frederickville, Maryland metropolitan area saw a loss of 3,900 jobs, or 12 percent; and the Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale metropolitan area in Arizona saw a decline of 3,400 jobs.
"While conditions are looking good for much of the industry, that could change if Washington can't figure out a way to pay for our long-term infrastructure needs," Stephen E. Sandherr, the association's chief executive officer, said. "But with the president and Congressional leadership exploring ways to finance new public works projects, there is a good chance the industry will continue to add jobs in many parts of the country this year."
The AGC report outlined the fluctuations and changes in the construction industry, noting that 80 percent of contractors expect to increase their hiring this year.
Officials report that contractors’ hiring plans are based on the expectation of higher growth throughout the construction market in 2015.
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