With the construction industry struggling to find qualified workers, the industry is looking anywhere it can to fill positions. One resource is from Federal and State Government registered apprenticeship programs. Unfortunately, according to the Association Builders and Contractors or ABC, it would take 14 years to get the workers into the pipeline from that program.
According to ABC analysis from Department of Labor data, the construction sector needs an additional 650,000 workers in 2022 alone.
DOL data shows only about 25,000 people completed its latest four-to-five-year program, with only about 18,000 registering for new programs in 2021.
“Clearly, the government-registered apprenticeship system is not meeting the industry’s need for skilled labor and cannot be the only solution supported by government to meet industry demands and build a diverse workforce,” said Ben Brubeck, ABC VP of regulatory, labor and state affairs. “This is why lawmakers should support inclusive, all-of-the-above solutions to workforce development as part of their efforts to attract and retain a diverse construction industry workforce, especially during these economically challenging times."
For a couple years now, the construction industry has dealt with supply chain issues, skyrocketing material prices that are almost 50% higher than they were in 2019, and a decline in nonresidential building projects.
