Construction employers had 305,000 unfilled jobs on the last day of June, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. Openings increased by 14,000 from May and by 81,000 from June 2025.
What the Numbers Show
The year-over-year increase works out to roughly 36%. That is a striking rise in advertised demand at a time when construction spending is not growing equally across every sector. It suggests that many contractors are still trying to staff work even as some project types slow.
Why the Market Is Moving
JOLTS counts an opening when an employer has a position available and is actively recruiting from outside the company. It is not the same as a hire. That distinction is important because a high number of openings can reflect both strong demand and difficulty finding qualified people.
What It Means for Contractors
ABC has cautioned that the data are not simple to interpret. Contractor confidence surveys show that many firms expect revenue and employment to increase, but the industry is also dealing with softer spending outside a few strong markets. Data centers remain a major source of activity, while other private nonresidential sectors have been less consistent.
What It Means for Workers
The openings figure helps explain why experienced craft workers and project staff can still see a competitive market even when national economic headlines sound cautious. Employers do not need every type of worker in every location. They need specific skills where projects are active, and those needs can remain intense.
The Bigger Employment Picture
For recruiting teams, 305,000 openings create a practical problem: posting a job is not enough when many employers are searching for the same people. Contractors need faster hiring decisions, credible compensation, clear job information and a process that does not lose candidates during long internal reviews.
What to Watch Next
The June JOLTS report is one of the clearest signs that construction’s labor challenge has not disappeared. The industry may be growing more slowly than in some recent years, but the gap between available work and available skilled people remains large.
Why This Matters Now
Construction employment data can change quickly, so the best view comes from several measures at once. Payroll growth shows whether companies are adding people. Job openings show how many positions employers are still trying to fill. Unemployment shows how many experienced workers may be immediately available. Wage growth shows how hard employers are competing for labor. When several of those measures point in the same direction, the trend is more meaningful than a single monthly number.
Openings Are Not the Same as Hires
A job opening remains on the books until an employer fills it, stops recruiting or decides the position is no longer needed. That means openings can rise even when payroll growth is modest. In construction, the gap often appears when employers need a specific skill, license or level of experience. A company may have applicants but still leave the position open because none can immediately perform the work required on the project.
Why Some Positions Stay Open
Location, travel, overtime, pay, project duration and schedule all affect whether a candidate accepts a construction job. Experienced workers may also be reluctant to leave a stable employer for a short project. Employers can improve their odds by giving candidates clear information early. A realistic description of the work, compensation, travel expectations and advancement opportunity reduces wasted interviews and helps both sides decide faster.
Source: Associated Builders and Contractors. This is an original iBidElectric news summary based on current publicly available employment reporting.
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