Construction jobs in Rhode Island climb

Posted on January 3, 2018

The number of construction jobs in Rhode Island has grown, according to recent labor statistics.

Jobs in Rhode Island increased to 497,700, a gain of 600 jobs from the revised October employment level of 497,100. The revised October estimate reverses what originally was an October job loss into an October job gain, marking the first over the month job increase since July. Through November, the number of jobs in Rhode Island is up 6,400 since the start of the year and up 5,500 from a year ago (497,700 vs. 492,200).

The Accommodation & Food Services sector added 700 jobs in November, erasing the 700 jobs it lost in October. Over the year, the number of jobs within the Accommodation & Food sector is up 2,100.

The Construction sector rebounded from two consecutive months of jobs declines, adding 500 jobs in November. Employment within this sector is up 2,400 from a year earlier.

Employment in the Manufacturing sector grew by 400 from October, marking the sector’s first job gain since July. The number of Manufacturing jobs is up 1,500 from November 2016.

The Health Care & Social Assistance and Educational Services sectors each added 300 jobs in November. The number of jobs in both sectors are up 500 and 400, respectively, from last November.

A gain of 100 jobs was reported in both the Information and Transportation & Utilities sectors. Employment in the Transportation & Utilities sector is up 200 over the year, while employment in the Information sector is down 200 in over the year.

The Professional & Business Services sector lost 800 jobs in November, eliminating over half of the 1,200 jobs it gained in October. Since November 2016, employment in Professional & Business Services is down 1,400.

Payrolls in the Retail Trade sector fell by 300 in November. The number of jobs within this sector is down 100 over the year.

Three employment sectors, Government, Financial Activities and Wholesale Trade, each lost 200 jobs in November. The Wholesale Trade (+700) and Financial Activities (+200) sectors are both up in employment from a year ago, while Government employment is down 300 jobs a year ago.

Employment in the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation sector continued to trend down in November, shedding 100 jobs. This sector has not reported a monthly job gain since July and has 800 fewer jobs than a year ago.