Job market stats show construction jobs in Orlando booming

ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando's construction industry seems to be making a big comeback after recently posted job market statistics show that Orlando added more than 1,000 construction jobs last month.

From September to October, Orlando added 1,100 construction jobs according to state agencies. That brings the total number of construction jobs added this year to more than 4,600.

Statewide, the construction industry has lost around 5,000 jobs.

The new jobs have led to hire of people like John Fowler who recently got a new job doing landscaping.

"The work I was getting was just slow and I wasn't the getting the hours that I needed to make a living," said Fowler.

Construction company manager like Bart Sontag of H J High Construction are skeptical of the sudden increase.

"There's probably a lot of spin in that, we're not seeing that kind of rebound," said Sontag.

Sontag says the "spin" comes from the fact that many big projects like the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center, Sunrail and various theme park attractions which are currently being worked on won't last much longer.

"They key is do they stay work, so they come into a project work for a few weeks or months but then they leave," said Sontag.

Besides major construction projects construction experts say most of the new jobs have been in residential and housing construction.