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Outsourcing teams hammer and frame homes throughout the country at a steady pace, while the economy remains vibrant, but the lack of persistent artisans has dampened growth.
These are conclusions from professional groups and economists, noting that some builders are not able to meet deadlines or can not complete the work due to shortages.
"According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Association of Home Builders, there are currently 143,000 vacancies in the construction sector," notes Tradesmen International in a report released this summer. "In fact, a recent survey conducted by the NAHB revealed that 69% of its members were behind in the completion of projects due to a shortage of skilled workers, while other jobs were totally lost, "said the international organization.
Federal figures and the number of home builders coincide with a survey conducted in August by the Associated General Contractors of America that nearly 80% of construction companies "struggle to find a homeowner". Qualified and qualified work ". The group of entrepreneurs said the labor shortage had emerged "in small pockets isolated when the construction of homes ended in 2011". But the difficulty of finding skilled workers to build houses and buildings has grown ever since.
"The labor shortages in the construction sector remain large and widespread," says Ken Simonson, chief economist of the contractor's group. "The best way to encourage continued economic growth, facilitate the rebuilding of aging infrastructure and place more young adults in well-paid careers is to address the labor shortage." in the construction sector, "he said.
According to the survey, "the shortages of artisans are serious in the four regions of the country". They represented 81% of entrepreneurs in the West and the South who reported "having difficulty filling trades on the fly," which is 80% in the Midwest and 77% in the Northeast.
"With the increase in the number of companies having difficulty finding skilled craftsmen, it's obvious that we need to reuse future workers," said Sarah Hodges, senior director of the construction industry at Autodesk, who joined the AGC to lead the workforce. study of the force. "Technology can help bridge this gap," she says.
Outsourcing trade groups cite schools as guilty, noting that many skilled workers left the construction industry when the recession of the late 2000s reduced housing construction and related jobs. According to Tradesmen International, "a whole generation of young workers no longer considers construction to be a viable career option." Many high schools have phased out classes and parents have increasingly directed graduates to four-year colleges. and careers. "
The labor shortage could persist for years, slowing down the residential and commercial construction industries, with new home prices continuing to rise and the project remaining delayed. "Bridging this gap will require concerted efforts on all fronts, including encouraging young Americans to return to the construction sector," concludes the group of traders.
According to the latest update from the organization of general contractors, hourly gains in construction rose on average to $ 29.95 in August, up 3.3% from the previous year. previous year and 10.3% compared to the average of all private sector jobs, excluding agricultural work. "At the same time, the unemployment rate of workers with construction experience in August was 3.4%, which is the lowest in July," said the contracting group. In September, the number of jobs in the construction sector increased by 23,000 in August and by 297,000 in the past year, reaching its highest level in 10 years, says the annual report. September of the AGC.
In publishing the results of its work, the association published in August a new workforce development plan calling on the federal government to double funding for vocational and technical training programs by 2023 , "reforming immigration and improving training programs for the federal workforce".
"By making some commonsense changes to our current approach to education and workforce training, federal public servants can help many more people get into well-paying careers in construction," he said. said Stephen E. Sandherr, managing director of the contracting association.
Forbes magazine, in an article published this summer, pointed out that jobs in the trades could be as interesting as jobs waiting for students after graduation.
The report cites a study done last year by the Georgetown University Center for Education and Labor that, between 1991 and 2015, "the good ones jobs in non-manufacturing industries, such as construction and transportation, rose in 38 states ", with North Dakota, South Dakota and Utah the biggest winners. At the same time, nearly 3.5 million people work in well-paying construction jobs in the United States and earn a median salary of $ 59,000, Forbes explains.
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