Surveying members of the Construction Personnel Executives Group, FMI, reports that 24% of respondents will be unable to bid more work and 32% will experience slow growth if their companies cannot reasonably meet the need for skilled labor and tradespeople. Top executives at the largest contract firms in the U.S. took part in the survey.
“Overall, there’s an increase needed in skilled trade workers of more than 10% throughout the next three to 10 years,” says Ken Wilson, director for FMI, citing highlights from survey partipants. One large construction company says, "Our current hiring forecast shows a need for 8,500 additional craft workers by 2017.”
The top five positions that are expected to be the most difficult to fill are:
- Operator (heavy equipment)
- Welder (boilermaker)
- Carpenter
- Pipefitter
- Ironworker (reinforcing)
There are two significant contributing factors to the high demand for craft labor:
- The shift of the construction workforce to oil and gas related construction. FMI estimates that by 2017 nearly 10% of the total U.S. construction workforce will be part of this burgeoning segment of the industry.
- The number of survey respondents that plan to increase the amount of work the company self-performs. Currently, surveyed firms self-perform less than 40 percent of construction projects. However, 65 percent either have plans to or are considering plans to increase self-performed projects.
- This in-depth look into recruiting and retention of craft labor includes an analysis of the driving factors behind the skilled labor shortage, the most effective recruitment tactics and how companies are filling the demand for field management of the craft labor force. The report also provides practical counsel on how to develop human resource strategies to improve recruiting and retention rates.
To download a copy of the 2015 survey report, “Craft Labor Recruiting and Retention,” click here.
Related Stories
Retail Centers | Apr 28, 2022
Cannabis dispensary Beyond-Hello debuts ‘glass-box’ design for Culver City facility
Los Angeles’ Culver City will open its first cannabis dispensary with Beyond/Hello.
Office Buildings | Apr 28, 2022
A 48-story office tower to rise over boomtown Austin
In downtown Austin, Texas, a planned 48-story office tower, The Republic, recently secured its first major tenant—allowing for the groundbreaking by midyear.
Codes and Standards | Apr 27, 2022
White House guidance on Buy American for infrastructure includes waiver process
Recently released guidance on the Buy American provision within the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act released by the Office of Management and Budget includes a waiver process.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Apr 27, 2022
New Univ. of Texas Moody Center houses men’s and women’s basketball, other events
The recently completed 530,000 sf University of Texas Moody Center is the new home for men’s and women’s basketball at the Austin campus.
Green | Apr 26, 2022
Climate justice is the design challenge of our lives
As climate change accelerates, poor nations and disadvantaged communities are suffering the first and worst impacts.
Multifamily Housing | Apr 26, 2022
Fitness centers for multifamily housing: Advice from 'Dr. Fitness,' Karl Smith
In this episode for HorizonTV, Cortland's Karl Smith shares best practices for designing, siting, and operating fitness centers in apartment communities.
Mixed-Use | Apr 26, 2022
Downtown Phoenix to get hundreds of residential and student housing units
In fast-growing Phoenix, Arizona, a transit-oriented development called Central Station will sit adjacent to Arizona State University’s Downtown Phoenix campus.
Hotel Facilities | Apr 25, 2022
U.S. hotel construction pipeline up 2%, with 5,090 projects in the works
The total U.S. hotel construction pipeline stands at 5,090 projects and 606,302 rooms at the end of the first quarter of 2022, up 2% by projects, but down 3% by rooms, according to the Q1 2022 Construction Pipeline Trend Report for the United States from Lodging Econometrics (LE).
Codes and Standards | Apr 25, 2022
Supply chain constraints, shifting consumer demands adding cost pressures to office fit-outs
Cushman & Wakefield’s 2022 Americas Office Fit-Out Cost Guide found supply chain constraints and shifting consumer demands will continue to add pressure to costs, both in materials and labor.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Apr 25, 2022
Iowa's Field of Dreams to get boutique hotel, new baseball fields
A decade ago, Go the Distance Baseball formed to preserve the Iowa farm site where the 1989 movie Field of Dreams was filmed.
