Op-ed: skilled trades still stigmatized as construction adds about 120,000 jobs in a year
Key points
- According to the BLS, construction added about 120,000 jobs from August 2025 to August 2026
- Over 71% of those jobs came from nonresidential specialty-trade contractors
- Only 48% of U.S. metro areas added construction jobs
A staffing industry veteran with over three decades of experience argues in an op-ed that skilled trades still carry a stigma, worsening shortages. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, construction added about 120,000 jobs from August 2025 to August 2026, with over 71% from nonresidential specialty-trade contractors. Only 48% of U.S. metro areas added construction jobs.
Original report: View source ↗Edited with AI assistance. Facts are based on official sources and original reports.