St. Louis, MO  (KTRS)  Construction jobs in Missouri are on the rise.

Leonard Toenjes , President of the Associated General Contractors of Missouri, released the latest numbers during a morning news conference.on the construction site of the new facility for SSM St. Louis University Hospital in midtown St. Louis.

“In August, construction employment in Missouri totaled 125,000, up 2,300 since July 2019, making Missouri the second highest percentage increase in one-month construction job growth in all 50 states. We’re at the top.” said Toenjes.

Data from AGCMO also shows St. Louis Metro added more new construction jobs (7,100) during the past 12 months, higher than all but three other metro areas in the country out of the 358 metro areas where AGCA tracks construction employment.

Toenjes noted that while the economy is healthy and there is significant growth in building projects, contractors face a critical shortage of skilled workers. In a recent workforce survey by the AGCA, 80 percent of Missouri’s contractors said they are having difficulty finding qualified workers.

“Contractors across the nation are facing similar shortages,” said Toenjes. “We are not alone in dealing with the one-two punch of skilled workers reaching retirement and pent-up demand. That’s why it’s even more important than ever that Missouri prioritize this segment of the state’s economy by supporting our trade schools, universities and technical training programs.

“Construction is a wonderful choice to build a lifelong career,” added Toenjes. “The average wage for a construction worker in Missouri was $59,442 in 2018, 20 percent higher than the state average for all private sector employees. And many skilled workers are making well into six-figures every year. For entrepreneurs, it’s also the perfect time to build a small construction business. Missouri had 14,591 construction firms in 2016, of which 91 percent were defined as small business, with 19 or fewer employees.”

This week is designated as BuildMO Week.