The Down Low Up North

Things are good for construction all over the state of Utah, but nowhere is that more evident than up north in the Ogden-Clearfield metropolitan area. Often referred to as the Top of Utah, the area consists of Weber, Davis, Box Elder and Morgan counties. The number of construction jobs is up in the area and looks to gain even more in 2016. Construction jobs are up 7% over this same time last year, a gain of 1200 jobs, with a total of 18,000 construction-related jobs in the area.

According to The Standard Examiner, the Top of Utah outpaced the Salt Lake City area, which saw gains of only 4 percent. Both the Provo-Orem and Logan metropolitan areas saw growth of 12 percent.

Slade Opheikens, R&O’s CEO and president, said he’s seen the industry score a steady uptick since about 2012, both in jobs to complete and total number of employees. He alluded to the worker shortage, stating that he can't fill positions fast enough. “I would tell parents, if you’ve got an (unemployed) 18-year-old sitting on the couch, watching TV, well they shouldn’t be,” he said. “Right now there are a lot of (construction) jobs available if you’re willing to work a little bit.”

With an increased demand for multi-family unit housing from both millennials looking for urban living spaces and baby boomers looking to downsize, there are plenty of jobs to go around. UTCLC encourages anyone interested in a career in construction to give us a call today. We are seeing some of the best opportunities out there since the recession. Utah has one of the best economies in the nation, and construction contributed $7 billion to the state’s $141 billion GDP in 2014. Things will only get better from there.