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Construction job market booming in Boise

Posted at 10:10 PM, Nov 06, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-07 00:10:08-05

There is no shortage of construction jobs in the Treasure Valley, and while contractors across the country are struggling to fill open positions, Boise is seeing the second fastest growing construction job market in the nation.

“Idaho's been in the top five when it comes to job growth and construction for 18 of the last 24 months, which means we're just on fire here,” executive director of the Idaho Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America Wayne Hammon said.  “And an exciting thing about construction jobs is that each one of them leads to permanent jobs.”

Among the new developments is a massive multi-purpose convention center, a new transportation hub and a bounty of hotels and housing.

“Oh, it's extremely exciting!” Soon-to-be general manager at the Inn at 500 Aaron Black said. “I think it's wonderful to see a city with so much momentum and really see that accelerating.”

Black finds himself in the center of that growing momentum, building a six-story, 111-room boutique hotel in the heart of downtown.

“I’ve talked to lots of Boiseans that are just so enthusiastic about what's going on,” Black said. “There's been a fantastic history in Boise; you can just feel that this is a moment where things are accelerating again after a point where it was a little bit quiet.”

That quiet has been replaced with cranes and detours, but is definitely bringing new life to old Boise.

According to the Association of General Contractors in America, Boise saw among the highest percentage gains for construction employment from August 2015 to August 2016, filling 4,500 temporary jobs.

“The Boise construction market hit its peak in 2007 and while we're not yet back up too that number, this is the highest number of construction jobs we’ve seen in the past six years,” Hammon said.

For more information about available construction job openings visit here.