http://bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t14.htm
This chart, A-14, show unemployed by industry sectors. Most sectors do not have a substantial shift from each year, but construction does. Unemployment in this sector dropped from 17.3 to 13.7, an increase in 316,000 jobs over the year. A 21% decrease in unemployment in the sector as well.
The first step would be to interview the top management at the largest construction firms. Ask why the increased hiring, and how long they expect it to continue. Is this a short peak in hiring, or do they expect the trend to continue? Where is the increased demand coming from? The next step would be to interview government agencies who watch this industry. People at the BLS might have some knowledge. Other departments such as HUD (Housing and Urban Development) may have insight as well. An obvious hypothesis is that the stimulus bill signed in 2009 is having some effect on this number. This would be worth investigating.
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