Arizona Construction Gained 2,400 Jobs in November

By Tasha Anderson for AZBEX 
Arizona’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 7.8 percent in November 2020, from October 2020, according to the latest report published by the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.  
The national rate decreased to 6.7 percent from 6.9 percent in October. In November 2019, the state had a seasonally adjusted rate of 4.5 percent, and the national was at 3.5 percent. 
The state had a net gain of 27,700 non-farm jobs over the month. “Historically (2010-2019), Nonfarm employment has averaged a gain of 28,900 jobs in November,” the report states. Trade, Transportation & Utilities had the largest net gain with 19,000 jobs, followed by Leisure & Hospitality with a gain of 2,600. Construction gained 2,400 over the month.  
Trade, Transportation & Utilities took the top spot in job gains from November 2019 to November 2020 with a total of 17,700, while Leisure & Hospitality took the top spot in job losses over the year with 43,800. Construction reported a 2,300-job gain over the year. 
The Construction sector features three major segments: Buildings, Heavy, and Specialty Trades. There are currently 35,500 jobs in Buildings, which decreased by 800 from October 2020 and decreased by 500 from November 2019. Heavy Construction gained 400 over the month for a total of 20,300 but is down 900 from November 2019. Specialty Trades gained 2,800 for the month at 120,100, and the segment gained 3,700 over the year. 
Construction jobs in the Phoenix Metro Area (Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale) gained 2,700 over the month for a total of 139,400. The November 2019 number was 134,700.  
The Metro Tucson construction jobs remained at 18,500 for October 2020 and gained 200 from November 2019. 
Yuma, Flagstaff, Prescott, Lake Havasu City-Kingman and Sierra Vista-Douglas combine Construction and Natural Resources jobs in reporting their job sector totals. Yuma, Flagstaff, Prescott, Lake Havasu City-Kingman and Sierra Vista-Douglas each remained at 2,500, 2,400, 6,700, 3,700 and 2,100 jobs respectively for the month.