What Architects Need to Know About November's BLS Jobs Report

Unemployment decreased to 7.0 percent and the economy added an additional 203,000 jobs during the month of November, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) monthly report.

These numbers were stronger than expected by economists, who predicted that November's job growth was going to be around 180,000. Payroll company ADP and Moody's Analytics reported on Wednesday that the economy added 215,000 jobs in November.

The ADP report breaks down the job growth numbers by industry type, not specifics, so the BLS monthly tables give a better sense of growth across individual careers. The manufacturing industry had a strong month, adding 27,000 jobs, construction added 17,000, and architectural and engineering services added 1,000. (ADP reported that both manufacturing and construction added 18,000 jobs.)

November growth in the construction industry was stronger than October, which added 12,000 jobs according to today's numbers. Among the industry, specialty trade contractors overall experienced the most growth in November, adding about 13,000 jobs. Construction of buildings and heavy and civil engineering construction both experienced less growth in November than October.

Last month, the BLS reported that the American economy added 204,000 jobs in October, which the bureau since revised down to 200,000, so today's numbers (if they are not revised down next month) are higher than those from October. September's numbers were also revised from 163,000 to 175,000 jobs added.