Monday, April 25, 2016

Construction Industry Experiencing Shortage of Skilled Labor




An article from Tradesmen International reports on a recent survey from the Associated General Contractors of America that close to 80 percent of construction businesses are having problems finding skilled labor.  The survey indicates the labor shortage was first noticed around 2011 and is “now in full bloom, with repercussions being felt throughout the nation.”  In fact a spokesperson for the NAHB notes that the building industry could be growing faster if the labor shortage was not an issue. 

Much of the problem stems from that fact that during the last recession, construction and manufacturing were two of the hardest hit industries.  According to the publication, Finance and Commerce, “The U.S. lost about 2.1 million construction jobs from December 2007 when the recession began through January 2011, when industry employment hit its lowest level since 1996.” 

This resulted in many workers leaving the industry and going back to school or retraining for jobs in the business or service sectors.  Furthermore, without the prospects of jobs, the number of young people enrolling in vocational and technical programs declined.  Another problem is that our skilled construction workers are growing older.  In fact a 2012 report from EMSI states 53% of skilled-trade workers in the U.S. were 45 years or older. 

However there is some good news for the industry.  Many companies are making an effort to recruit young workers and get the word out about the benefits of well-paying jobs in construction.  Also to train more skilled workers, states are expanding community college and vocational training programs to help meet the demand. The celebrity, Mike Rowe, is even getting into the act by leading a campaign to promote skilled labor careers and alternative education programs.

At The Conco Companies, we are one of the leading concrete contractors in the Western U.S. and offer a wide range of quality services and products.  Our experience includes providing services for commercial, educational, parking and other construction development as well as public works projects.  We serve California, Washington State, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada.

Sources: tradesmeninternational.com/news/the-construction-labor-shortage-where-did-all-the-skilled-labor-go/
finance-commerce.com/2013/08/labor-shortages-slow-us-home-rebound/#ixzz2tgl8ed7w

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