As Professionals Age Out of the Construction Industry, Young Workers Are Needed to Fill the Gap
Earlier engagement through school programs is just one way to get young people interested in construction. Here are a few others
June 18, 2024
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Young construction workers are need to fill the gap in the labor force as more Baby Boomers retire.
The construction industry continues to struggle to retain young workers, which is a problem as Baby Boomers are projected to age out of the workforce by 2030. According to For Construction Pros, the labor shortage remains a major area of concern for many industry professionals, with research showing there are open positions at 85% of construction firms. At the same time, 10,000 people are retiring per day. Because of this, promoting construction careers to younger generations is essential to address the workforce gap and sustain industry growth. This can be done in a number of ways, including early engagement through school programs, developing talent internally, and recruiting underrepresented communities, among other methods.
Many young people do not realize the myriad of possibilities available within the industry, beyond traditional manual labor. However, labor workers are needed, too, and seeing how skilled trades fit within a project, whether it is masonry to welding or plumbing to electric, exposes their own potential within the industry and allows them to explore viable careers.
