US Adds Construction, Manufacturing Jobs in September 2026
Labor Secretary Sonderling highlights seven months of construction gains and 72,000 manufacturing jobs added so far in 2026.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. economy added jobs in construction and manufacturing in September, according to the latest Employment Situation Report, with Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling crediting the Trump administration's economic policies for the gains.
Construction employment rose by 11,000 in September, extending a streak of growth to seven consecutive months, while manufacturing payrolls increased by 9,000 during the same period. Manufacturing has now added 72,000 jobs through the first nine months of 2026, according to the report.
Read more US Jobs Growth Near Stall in September, Unemployment Holds at 4.2% →
Sonderling attributed the expansion to large-scale business investment and the Working Families Tax Cuts, which he said have given workers higher take-home pay and provided employers with sufficient certainty to invest and hire. The secretary characterized the trends as an "industrial renaissance" following what he described as years of sector decline.
The back-to-back monthly gains in two of the economy's most closely watched blue-collar sectors signal continued momentum in goods-producing industries, which have historically been sensitive to shifts in trade policy, interest rates, and capital investment cycles. The September figures add to an accumulating record that the administration has pointed to as evidence that its tariff and tax policies are reshaping domestic production.
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