Construction job openings fall through August

The construction industry reported 188,000 job openings as of Aug. 31, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS).

JOLTS defines a job opening as “any unfilled position for which an employer is actively recruiting.” Industry job openings decreased by 115,000 through August and are down by 116,000 from the same time in 2024.

“Construction job openings plunged in August, falling to the lowest rate in nearly a decade,” says Anirban Basu, chief economist at Associated Builders and Contractors, headquartered in Washington. “While this data series tends to be volatile on a month-to-month basis, the precipitous decline in job openings aligns with other indicators like construction spending and employment, both of which have fallen in recent months.”

According to ABC’s Construction Confidence Index, contractors remain relatively optimistic about the next six months. However, ABC adds that recent data have made it abundantly clear that the construction industry is contracting.