Worker's First: United States Faces Scarcity of Construction Workers Amidst Home Establishment Crisis

The United States of America requires millions of homes to provide refuge for those in need. However, in the middle of a problem in the home establishment industry, this nation is also experiencing a shortage of construction workers.

(Photo : Unsplash/Ivan Henao )

Scarcity of Construction Workers

An estimated 7 million more people in need of sanctuary in the United States require housing. Nevertheless, to create all those homes, the United States of America would reportedly require a significant increase in construction workers.

According to Brian Turmail, vice president for government affairs and strategic planning at the Associated General Contractors of America, a shortage of skilled workers, such as plumbers and electricians, has resulted from decades of educators and policymakers advising students to attend four-year colleges. Turmail also mentioned that most of the tradespeople he is acquainted with entered the industry due to a personal connection.

As described in research distributed in the spring of 2010 by economists from the University of Utah and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the construction sector in the United States experienced a loss of about 30% of its personnel during the Great Recession of 2008. The construction sector had just about recovered before the COVID-19 pandemic struck it again.

Accordingly, demand for electricians and plumbers, who are necessary for the subsequent phase of construction, will decrease if it becomes more challenging to locate laborers with the skills needed to complete the framing of a house due to a shortage of lower-skilled labor. Nonetheless, another concern is that the workforce is approaching retirement age.

As per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over a fifth of construction workers are 55 or older, and a significant portion of the workforce will retire within the next ten years. Thus, based on an Associated General Contractors poll last year, 68% of construction companies believe that job seekers do not possess the necessary abilities. Approximately 459,000 job opportunities were available as of the end of November, which was the highest rate of job openings since 2000, with 5.4%.

Moreover, experts and research have suggested that one of the issues is that the building industry needs to do more to recruit people from diverse backgrounds. Apprenticeship initiatives for construction and trade-based skills frequently include sponsors who do not seek or hire people from underrepresented groups, and some of these advertisers may need to be more conscious of how to attract members of those groups.

Also Read: Traditional Rammed Earth Construction Techniques Can Enhance Building Sustainability

Recruiting Construction Workers

Construction firms need help maintaining an appropriate employment level and remaining competitive due to the market's volatility. In addition, the requirements for hiring in the construction industry vary from region to region, generally in response to changes in population. The characteristics of the housing market require you to be adaptable and devote some of your efforts to predicting the staffing requirements you will have in the future.

Given that the necessity for additional personnel has been recognized, the recruitment procedure for construction workers typically commences with creating a compelling, search-engine-optimized, and practical job advertisement. Resonating with the candidates you aim to reach is essential for a good posting.

It is common practice for clients, suppliers, subcontractors, and other building employees to keep a list of other workers they would refer to immediately as a recommendation. Since a candidate who has been thoroughly screened is valued, it is essential to make sure that you ask around if you are looking to fill a specific position. You can also recruit employees who have previously collaborated and possess the appropriate chemistry to operate effectively together.

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