Associated Builders and Contractors recently conducted a survey of its members questioning the availability of skilled professionals in their industry. Approximately 75 percent of the companies who responded said they are experiencing a shortage of qualified craft professionals, a finding that supports the Construction Labor Market Analyzers’ 20/20 Foresight Report that states there will be a nationwide shortage of approximately two million skilled craft workers by the year 2017.
Bad news for companies like ours!
Nearly 30 percent of the construction workforce was lost at the peak of the recession, reports ABC. Additionally, our workforce is aging – the baby boomers who once dominated the workforce are now retiring in large numbers. How do we fill these absences in just a few short years? What can we do to reverse the deficiency and promote careers in construction? There’s about $600 billion worth of new construction projects each year. Skilled tradespeople are the lifeblood of the construction industry and we cannot grow and prosper without them.
Through training, promotion, and discussions with federal legislators, ABC and its local chapters are working hard to combat the shortage. The national organization also launched a new blog, Workforce Under Construction, that contains information promoting the value of careers in construction and the strides companies and organizations are making to bring skilled workers to our industry.
On that note, Nickle Electrical is currently hiring talented Foremen, Journeymen, Apprentices, and Technicians in the field. Please visit our Careers page for more information and application instructions.
Help build America with your own two hands.
