Even as the number of people working in construction increased by 5,000 between September and October 2010, the industry's unemployment rate rose to 17.3 percent, according to AGC's analysis of federal employment figures released Friday.

Temporary government investments boosted commercial construction employment, offsetting further job losses in residential construction, AGC noted, but the industry's unemployment rate is still nearly double the unadjusted national rate of nine percent.

Read the press release here.

The news was covered by Grand Rapids Press, Alaska Business Monthly and St. Paul Pioneer Press.