NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Employment in Nashville’s construction sector has declined even as most other industries continue to grow, according to new data.

Construction companies in Nashville and surrounding areas say the downward trend comes as no surprise, pointing to a long-running shortage of skilled workers.

“There’s absolutely no surprises," Elizabeth Theiss, who is in the executive leadership at DPR Construction Nashville, said. "We’re seeing a little bit of change in the market."

While demand remains high, finding workers continues to be a challenge. Theiss said DPR currently has more than 300 open positions across the country in just their company for skilled labor jobs. Six months ago, she said, there were roughly 38,000 skilled trade job openings in the Nashville area alone.

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