QUARTERLY Construction employment advanced adding 7755 workers growing 5.3% over last quarter. Employment advances were seasonal, however, industry totals have been enhanced by low interest and mortgage rates. Special Trade (17) rose by 5200 employees. The subsector, Misc Special Trade, added 1135 employees. Gains in excavation work and foundation digging contributed to more than half of the increase in Misc Special Trade. Masonry, Stonework, Tile Setting & Plastering grew by 790. High demand for masonry, drywall, plastering and insulation work particularly for home construction significantly added to the growth. General Building (15) increased by 1480 employees. Residential Building gained 918 employees. Growth occurred throughout the state with Metro Denver claiming only one third of the quarterly employment increase. Nonresidential construction was up by 349 employees. Heavy Construction (16) reported a gain of 1073 employees. More than 600 employees were added for road projects. Contractors involved in the construction of Water, Sewer, Pipeline & Communications & Power Line Construction added 479 employees to their rolls. ANNUAL Annual employment growth in the Construction industry is 9.5% with 13,452 employees. Annual employment gains slowed this quarter dropping from the average level of 15,000 or more new jobs since 2Q98. The slowing appears to be resident in Heavy Construction (16), which is showing an annual increase of 933, down from a level of about 2500 or more. Increases had been accelerated in prior quarters due to hiring for the Trans Colorado Pipeline project, which was completed in 1Q99. The completion of three large projects this quarter and SIC changes moving more than 200 also impacted the slowing of annual gain in Heavy Construction. Growth in Special Trade (17) up 10,122 employees constituted 75% of the Construction industry’s annual growth. The largest subsector increases were found in Electrical Work, up 2168 employees, Misc Special Trade up 1973 and Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning up 1756. Employment in General Building (15) increased by 2396. Residential Building acquired the bulk of the gain up 1543 employees. Low mortgage and interest rates continue to work favorably on this sector of business. Nonresidential Building grew by 431 annually.
Colorado Employment and Wages (ES202) Third Quarter 1999
