Analysis of Contractor Surveys Shows Construction Workforce Shortage is Disproportionately Impacting Nonunion Firms

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A review of 2018-21 Associated General Contractors of America surveys of more than 5,000 member firms nationwide reveals that nonunion construction firms are facing significantly greater workforce supply problems than their union counterparts. These problems preceded the COVID-19 pandemic. The surveys, which include responses from 1,768 union contractors and 3,893 nonunion contractors, were analyzed by researchers from the nonpartisan Illinois Economic Policy Institute and the Project for Middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Associated General Contractors of America represents more than 27,000 construction firms nationally. It releases its topline survey data each September and, since … Read more

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Not Your Average Shop Class

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Career Academies provide learning opportunities, hands-on tech training By Wade Engebretson Not everyone in high school knows what they want to do with their lives or where they want to work. Even if a student wants to pursue a particular field of study, a traditional four-year degree may not turn out to be the right fit. In addition, the exorbitant costs and long-lasting debt may be too steep to consider. Yet today’s reality is the great majority of jobs require some post-high school education. One creative approach to tap into a person’s individual interests and personalized skill set is through … Read more

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Industry Works to Build Future Workforce, Construction Education Foundation of Georgia Rebrands to ‘Construction Ready’

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The recent passage of the $1-trillion “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act” is expected to dramatically increase the already strong demand for skilled workers in the construction industry. And recently, the Construction Education Foundation of Georgia announced it’s expanding its work beyond Georgia, enhancing its services and changing its name to “Construction Ready.” The organization, created almost 30 years ago to build opportunities for Georgians in construction and the skilled trades, works to close the skilled workforce gap that is impacting the industry nationwide. The change to “Construction Ready” comes as the organization launches new programs in Jacksonville, Florida. “Construction Ready … Read more

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Construction Salaries Continue to Rise

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Skilled craft professionals continue to earn high wages, according to NCCER’s 2022 Construction Craft Salary Survey. More than 135 commercial, industrial and residential construction companies across the U.S., representing over 337,000 employees, participated in the survey. The individual craft areas reported provide average annual salaries, not including overtime, per diem, bonuses or other incentives. Of the 41 construction positions surveyed, average annual salaries ranged from $49,920 to $98,965. Project supervisors and project managers topped the list, earning over $90,200 and $98,900, respectively. Professions earning more than $65,000 include HVAC technician, commercial electrician, instrumentation fitter, boilermaker, industrial maintenance mechanic, pipefitter, rigger, … Read more

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Recent Study Provides Best Practices for Recruiting, Training + Retaining Women in Building Trades

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The residential construction industry is battling a severe talent shortage. To help the industry win this battle, Building Talent Foundation partnered with two Research Fellows to study the barriers women face when pursuing skilled trades careers. The resulting research paper, Women Breaking Barriers: A Guide to Recruiting, Training and Retaining Women in the Residential Construction Trades, explores how the industry can strengthen the workforce by tapping into an underused source of skill and expertise — women. The report reveals the construction sector is dominated by males, with women making up just 10.9% of its workers, and representing only 3.4% of … Read more

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