Government-registered apprenticeship programs for the construction industry are not yielding enough workers to keep up with the industry’s severe labor shortage, according to an analysis by the Associated Builders and Contractors.
In fiscal 2023, federal and state GRAPs had an estimated 250,000 apprentice participants and yielded only 40,000 to 45,000 completers by year’s end.
“It is no secret that America’s government-registered apprenticeship system isn’t keeping up with construction industry demand for skilled craft professionals, despite dedicated efforts by many stakeholders to create new programs, grow capacity and attract new apprentices,” stated Ben Brubeck, ABC vice president of regulatory, labor and state affairs.
ABC projected at the beginning of the year that the construction industry would need to attract an additional 501,000 workers on top of the normal pace of hiring in 2024 to keep up with the demand for labor.
