Good News for Gulfport Construction Workers?

Gulfport area construction workers who found themselves on the unemployment line when the economy hit rock bottom might find hope on the horizon.

While construction jobs throughout Florida are still down about 50 percent from 2006, the Associated General Contractors of America say the Tampa Bay area is seeing strong signs of improvement. The Bay area ranked 96^th best in construction job growth out of 339 metro areas, according to the Tampa Bay Times. That’s up from last year’s report that said Tampa Bay lost more construction jobs year over year than any other metro area in America.

The Tampa Bay area, which includes Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater, had 51,300 construction positions in January 2012, according to an association report. By January 2013, that number had risen to 53,400. That means 2,100 jobs were gained year over year.

While construction employment is on the rise, the news isn’t so great across the board for Tampa Bay employment. Florida as a whole saw its unemployment rate drop to 7.8 percent in January. The Bay area’s rate, however, rose to 8 percent, according to The Tampa Tribune.

Are you a construction worker who was laid off when the economy went south? Have you been able to find employment in the field or another one? Do you think the latest numbers are a positive sign? Share your perceptions by commenting below.

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