Construction leads job growth in South Florida

Unemployment rate in Broward County fell to 3.5 percent in August

Construction job growth boomed in South Florida while unemployment declined in August, according to data released Friday by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.

Broward County added 3,900 jobs in construction, Palm Beach County added 3,800, and MiamiDade County, 6,700, according to the state. Still, the industry says it needs more workers — there is an acute worker shortage, especially for those in the skilled trades.

“Growth would be even stronger if labor supply growth was stronger,” said Gus Faucher, senior economist for PNC Bank, which has branches in South Florida. But overall, he said, “the outlook for Florida — and South Florida — remains very solid.”

In August, Broward’s unemployment rate fell to 3.5 percent from 3.8 percent a year ago. The county added 10,600 jobs, an increase of 1.3 percent since August 2017.

Over the year, the county also added 2,000 jobs in education and health services; 1,300 in trade, transportation and utilities; 900 in manufacturing; 800 in professional and business services; 800 in government; and 600 in financial activities.

Broward lost 700 jobs in leisure and hospitality over the year.

No jobs were added or lost the information industry.

Palm Beach County’s jobless rate fell to 3.9 percent from 4.4 percent a year ago in August. The county created 6,100 jobs, a 1 percent increase over a year ago. in

Besides construction, the county added 3,700 jobs in leisure and hospitality; 2,300 in financial activities; 1,500 other services; 1,000 in manufacturing; 300 in government; and 200 in professional and business services.

Palm Beach County lost 5,800 jobs in education and health services over the year; 500 in information; and 400 in trade, transportation and utilities.

Miami-Dade’s unemployment fell to 4.1 percent from 5 percent in August 2017. But the county saw the highest percentage of job growth in the tricounty region: 1.9 percent, or 22,100 jobs.

Over the year, the county added the most jobs — 6,900 — in manufacturing, followed by those in construction. It also added 5,700 in education and health services; 5,000 in trade, transportation and utilities; and 400 in other services.

The financial activities industry was unchanged in Miami-Dade.

The county lost 1,000 jobs over the year in government; 900 in professional and business services; 600 in leisure and hospitality; and 100 in information.

Statewide, the unemployment rate was a seasonally adjusted 3.7 percent compared with 4 percent a year ago. That’s lower than the U.S. rate of 3.9 percent, seasonally adjusted.

Florida added the most jobs, an increase of 4.5 percent, in leisure and hospitality, according to the Department of Economic Opportunity.

The state continued to outpace national job growth, adding 220,200 jobs over the year, an increase of 2.6 percent. Nationally, the number of jobs rose 1.6 percent over the year. over the year