Seventy percent of construction firms reported to the Associated General Contractors of America that they have a hard time filling hourly craft positions, and many firms are changing how they operate.
The shortages are most evident in the West, where 75 percent of contractors have a hard time filling positions, followed by 72 percent in the Midwest, 70 percent in the South and 63 percent in the Northeast.
"In the short-term, fewer firms will be able to bid on construction projects if they are concerned they will not have enough workers to meet demand," said Stephen Sandherr, chief executive officer for the Associated General Contractors, in a statement. "Over the long-term, either construction firms will find a way to do more with fewer workers or public officials will take steps to encourage more people to pursue careers in construction."
Firms surveyed said they are making special efforts to recruit and retrain new workers. Nearly 80 percent of firms are pursuing the veteran workforce, while 70 percent are pursuing women and 64 percent are pursuing African Americans. Forty-six percent of firms have expanded in-house training, and 47 percent of firms are increasing overtime pay.
