The good news is that recent trends indicate a marked increase in construction employment across the country as the construction industry recovers and more projects begin. The bad news, however, is that there is a shortage of qualified workers to fill all the required positions created by this expansion of construction business.
Industry sources suggest that a weakening of the educational and preparation programs that once supplied construction industry workers is partly responsible for personnel shortages. The fact that many construction workers and professionals are nearing retirement age, or have already retired, also plays a major role in labor limitations.
Modern construction labor requires not only strength and stamina, but also the ability to understand technology that was not available just a few years ago. Current construction workers must have a better grasp of this technology and how to use it to its best effect.
In an article by reporter Kimberly Hegeman on the For Construction Pros.com website, the Associated General Contractors of America sets out some suggestions that can help alleviate the current labor shortage while improving construction worker recruitment and training. For example, the AGC suggests:
- Reform the Carl D. Perkins Career & Technical Education Act, which was at one time the major source of federal funding for construction-related training and education.
- Support private funding of craft training programs.
- Improve the Workforce Investment Act. For example, the ACG supports making registered apprenticeship programs Eligible Training Providers, making it easier to get funding for tools and supplies for apprenticeship programs.
- Support more, and more effective, partnerships between registered apprenticeship programs and community colleges.
- Provide free community college career and technical programs to high school students.
- Improve the processes to make it easier to create public schools with a concentration on career and technical education.
Construction professionals rely on Construction Monitor for important information on developments in the industry, including detailed data on employment and training trends. Contact us today for more information on construction worker recruitment and training and what can be done to ensure the industry has enough qualified workers to meet demand.