Arkansas has been recognized as the No. 2 state in the country for construction, according to the 10th annual “Building America: The Merit Shop Scorecard” released by Associated Builders and Contractors. The state climbed one spot from its previous No. 3 position in 2023, reflecting continued momentum in workforce development and industry-friendly policy.
The national scorecard ranks all 50 states based on key areas such as workforce development, career and technical education, job growth, right-to-work policies and the openness of public construction markets. Arkansas earned “A” grades in six of the seven categories, which is more than any other state, thanks to a favorable business climate and strong job growth.
In its announcement, ABC noted that Arkansas “has excelled at all aspects of fostering and educating a skilled workforce, boasting a 6.1% growth rate in construction industry jobs and delivering outstanding results in CTE. Arkansas also maintains a fair and open public construction market, allowing the full breadth of the state’s construction workforce to pursue projects.”…