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According to data released today by the U.S. Department of Labor, construction employment continued its slow rate of improvement through the month of March.

Construction unemployment dropped to 20 percent in the same month, down 1.8 percent from February. The unemployment rate in the industry is also down significantly from the 24.9 percent rate posted in March of 2010.

Non-residential building construction added 2,600 jobs this month, a sector that now supports 658,100 jobs. Heavy and civil engineering construction gained 2,400 jobs for the month and has added 25,100 jobs since March 2010.

Conversely, the specialty trade contractor segment lost 6,700 jobs in March, and has lost 41,000 jobs over the past 12 months. And while residential building construction has lost 18,600 jobs over the past year, it seems to have leveled off, adding 600 jobs in the month of March.

Overall the news is positive for the construction industry considering the entire sector added 216,000 jobs in March, with 230,000 jobs added to the private sector and 14,000 jobs were shed in the public sector. The overall monthly increase was the largest monthly gain since March 2007.