Federal and state government-registered apprenticeship programs are failing to meet the construction industry’s short- and long-term skilled workforce development needs, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis.
ABC estimates the construction industry’s federal and state programs had about 290,000 apprentice participants in 2024 and yielded less than 40,000 graduates.
ABC projected the construction industry workforce shortage to be 439,000 in 2025.
“Unfortunately, America’s government-registered apprenticeship system isn’t keeping up with construction industry demand for skilled craft professionals, despite encouraging progress by many stakeholders to create new programs, attract new apprentices and graduate journeymen and women at the end of a rigorous four-to-five year apprenticeship program,” Ben Brubeck, ABC vice president of regulatory, labor and state affairs, said in a statement.
Read the full report here.
