Demand for Experienced Skilled Trades Talent Grows

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the construction industry will face a shortage of 1.6 million workers by 2022. So how did an industry that let go more than 2 million workers during the recession, well more than any other industry, end up in the talent struggle?

Image of construction worker on construction site, working on site where skyscraper is being built. Manual worker has protective helmet and protective uniform. Image taken with Nikon D800 and professional Nikon lens, developed from RAW in highest resolution. Location: Novi Sad, Serbia, Europe

Currently, there is only one tradesman entering the workforce for every 5 that retire. With 73% of construction firms planning to expand their headcount throughout 2017, this leaves the industry in a continued shortage for qualified talent. The Associated General Contractors of America reported that construction firms added employees over the past year at nearly double the rate of the overall economy. In June alone, the industry added 16,000 jobs across the country.

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