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CONSTRUCTION ADDS 10,000
In what experts are calling “the boldest act of optimism since the invention of quick-dry cement,” the construction industry managed to add 10,000 jobs in November 2024, according to an analysis by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). This brings the year-over-year employment gain to an impressive 211,000 jobs—or, as one construction worker put it, “enough people to finally get that pothole on Main Street filled… probably.”
Nonresidential construction saw the biggest gains, with 6,800 new positions added. Nonresidential specialty trade accounted for 7,000 of those jobs, proving once again that if you can duct-tape it, scaffold it, or pretend it passed inspection, you’re in demand. Heavy and civil engineering chipped in with 1,500 new jobs, while nonresidential building inexplicably managed to lose 1,700 positions. Analysts blame the losses on a rogue forklift operator who “accidentally” flattened HR’s office.
Meanwhile, the construction unemployment rate climbed to 4.6 percent, up from October. Industry insiders believe the rise is linked to a surge in holiday-themed injury claims, as ambitious workers took on the annual challenge of stringing lights on unfinished skyscrapers.
“Sure, we only added 10,000 jobs this month, but hey, that’s like adding 10,000 bricks to a wall no one measured correctly in the first place,” quipped ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu, while standing dangerously close to a wobbly ladder. He also reassured the public that October’s tepid growth was merely a result of hurricanes Helene and Milton, which temporarily turned most job sites into Olympic swimming pools.
On the bright side, the average hourly wage for construction workers climbed to $36.22—outpacing the private-sector average by 18.5 percent. “You don’t need a degree for this level of chaos,” said one worker while welding something that suspiciously looked like a giant middle finger aimed at Wall Street.
Adding to the industry’s confusing resilience, construction layoffs in October hit an all-time low of 97,000. “Clearly, contractors are preparing for a future where nobody knows how to read a blueprint, but everyone is somehow an ‘expert’ on TikTok,” joked Ken Simonson, Chief Economist at AGC.
As the dust settles, one thing is clear: the construction industry thrives on chaos, optimism, and a collective belief that “close enough” is indeed good enough. Stay tuned for next month’s report, where we’ll likely see another 10,000 brave souls signing up to climb unfinished staircases and live to tell the tale—or at least post about it.
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