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Construction unemployment is down to 17.8 percent through the month of April, a 2.2 percent decrease from a month previous.

According to statistics released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the construction industry added 5,000 jobs throughout the month of April, bringing the unemployment rate for the industry down. The modest monthly gain in construction employment feeds into overall private sector employment, which saw its largest monthly gain in employment over the past five years in April, adding 244,000 jobs.

Nonresidential building construction employment lost 1,200 jobs in April and now stands at 656,800, while residential construction lost 2,100 jobs. Conversely, heavy and civil engineering added 12,700 jobs in over the same time period, more than making up for other losses.

鈥淭he growth in jobs nationally is encouraging news and we hope that begins to drive real growth in construction employment,鈥� said John Killin, president of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors and the executive director of the Independent Electrical Contractors of Oregon. 鈥淚 think we鈥檝e clearly hit the basement in terms of job losses. Now it鈥檚 a matter of developing sustained growth nationally and locally.鈥�