A new survey from The Associated General Contractors of America and Autodesk reports that 70% of firms surveyed are having a hard time filling jobs with qualified, hourly craft workers.
1,600 respondents also reported:
- 46% are upping the amount of in-house training they provide.
- 47% are increasing overtime
- 41% are hiring out subcontractors to fill the roles
- 22% are using labor-saving equipment (automation!)
- 11% are using prefab parts and structures
- 7% are using BIM(Building Information Modeling) to pick up the slack.
What’s the broader impact?
“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. “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.”
As America’s infrastructure ages, and as we’ve seen from the damage from hurricane Harvey in Texas, there is going to be more and more demand for skilled craft workers. Technology and automation will pick up the slack, but we’re still a long way from needing fewer man-power in the field.
Construction Metrics 