CLMA Spring 2013 Report Projects Major Construction Workforce Shortages

ALACHUA, Fla. — Due to rising demand, particularly from the oil and gas sector, the construction industry is expected to face a shortage of as many as 2 million skilled craft professionals by 2017. According to the Construction Labor Market Analyzer's recently released 20/20 Foresight Report entitled “Skilled Worker Shortages Emerge: United States Energy Boom Increases Demand,” the industry's already insufficient pool of experienced labor will be further diminished over the next decade, with an estimated one-sixth of the current construction workforce expected to retire.

Focusing specifically on the Southeastern United States, this detailed labor market report provides macro-economic perspective regionally and nationally, state-by-state supply/demand gap analysis for up to 42 craft areas and worker demographic analysis using $3.1 trillion in capital and maintenance project volume data provided by owners. The report and the CLMA are designed to provide actionable labor market intelligence to help the construction industry better understand regional skilled craft labor imbalances and respond with better risk management and project labor planning.

NCCER and the Build Your Future Initiative are sponsors of the report and supporters of the CLMA as a tool to help the industry combat increasing shortages of skilled craft professionals. In addition to supporting the CLMA's research, BYF's Craft Labor Map also incorporates quarterly data on craft labor demand from the CLMA. The resource provides a state-by-state breakdown by craft of the numbers of skilled workers needed for the next three years. To view the BYF Craft Labor Map, visit www.byf.org/resources.