Construction firms added 45,000 jobs in April and 280,000 in the past year, driving down the industry’s unemployment to lowest April numbers in nine years, the Associated General Contractors of America said.

For the month, 7.5 percent of construction workers were out of work.

 "Construction employment resumed strong growth in April after slipping in March and is now growing at more than double the growth rate for total nonfarm employment," said Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. "Nevertheless, job growth remains spotty with the nonresidential building sector losing jobs even as other construction sectors expanded."