Construction Facts

The average number of employees for all U.S. construction firms in 2005 was only eight per firm, and 91% of all construction firms had fewer than twenty employees according to the AGC's Quick Facts About the Construction Industry (February 23, 2007). Only 1% had 100 or more employees.

In a paper written for The Brookings Institution, Arthur C. Nelson says that in the year 2030, "half of the buildings in which Americans live, work, and shop will have been built after 2000," and that more than 60 per cent of the commercial and industrial space in 2030 will be less than thirty years old. It is hard to imagine an industry offering more promise than construction.

U.S. construction industry prognosticators fear that too few qualified candidates are training for and entering the field to supply the demand in skilled, managerial, and leadership positions. This means young people in the United States can benefit from continuing exciting opportunities in construction that are limited only by their own imaginations.

In the U.S. and some other industrialized countries, much has been written and debated about the loss of jobs and even significant portions of some industries to certain foreign countries in which labor is cheaper. This should not be a concern within the construction industry in the U.S. or elsewhere, as the construction of buildings and other structures will continue to require plumbers, electricians, grading contractors, and the entire spectrum of building trades to perform work on-site — meaning construction firm owners, managers, superintendents, and other key personnel will always be needed at home.

While the numbers vary from country to country, the U.S. construction industry is not alone in making a healthy contribution to its nation's economy. The construction industry is among the top contributors to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and to employment rolls in the UK, EU, and Canada as well as the U.S.

Construction Contribution