We know we are a little late to the game on this one, but we need to share it. A recent USA Today article “Construction Industry Faces Worker Shortage” makes the perfect platform for explaining why workforce development matters:
- 2.2 million= the number of jobs the construction industry shed from January 2007 until last year
- Those construction workers aren’t coming back to work. Many leveraged their construction skills for a career in oil and gas drilling, trucking or factories.
- Now, as the housing market starts reviving itself, those construction workers aren’t there to build the homes, driving up the cost.
- It’s only going to get worse. The Construction Users Roundtable estimates that 2 million jobs in commercial construction will go unfilled.
Not only that, but Texas is one of the four states hit the hardest, along with Iowa, Arizona and Florida. We’re working to combat this in Central Texas with our Gateway construction training, but we need your help. Check out the Gateway page to learn more about the program.