Report: Construction jobs down in Portland
Construction employment dropped 8% in the Portland metro area, according to data from the Associated General Contractors of America. AGC releases monthly construction employment reports for all 50 states and major metro areas.
The Portland-South Portland-Biddeford area had 7,000 construction, mining and logging jobs in March, down from 7,600 in March 2011. The Portland area was one of 134 metro areas nationwide out of 337 that saw construction employment drop. Maine's other two metro areas, Bangor and Lewiston-Auburn, saw jobs grow or remain flat: Bangor gained 200 jobs over the year, or an 11% increase to 2,000, while L-A's construction jobs were flat at 2,000.
Statewide, construction jobs fell 2% to 21,000, while construction/mining/logging jobs fell 1% to 23,800, according to the AGC.
The AGC attributed the national slow construction job growth in March to the weather. February's mild temperatures meant more firms added to their ranks in that month instead of March as they usually do.
Michael Bosse, a partner and chair of the construction practice group at Bernstein Shur in Portland, recently highlighted the sectors that are poised to see construction growth in 2012, including public infrastructure, multi-family housing and health care. Read his commentary here.
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