Highest level of open positions ever recorded in construction

“The construction sector is a fundamental backbone of the nation – without structures created by construction workers, Americans would have nowhere to eat, sleep, work, or live. And yet, the industry is currently battling the highest level of unfilled job openings ever recorded.”

According to an outlook from Associated Builders and Contractors, a trade group for the non-union construction industry, construction firms will need to attract an estimated 546,000 additional workers on top of the normal pace of hiring in 2023 to meet the demand for labor. The construction industry averaged more than 390,000 job openings per month in 2022, the highest level on record, while unemployment in the sector of 4.6% was the second lowest on record.

The number of online applications for roles in the construction industry fell 40% at the beginning of the pandemic and has remained flat since, according to ZipRecruiter data from April.

"There is a labor shortage. There are about 650,000 workers missing from the construction industry, and construction backlogs are now at a four-year high."

It's a workers' market! For workers who seek construction jobs, the timing has never been better. The construction industry is now paying 80% more than the average non-farm job in the United States

The solution, according to experts, is a balance between immigration policy, greater use of technology, and efforts to raise the profile of construction as a career path. More money is going to need to be spent on training additional workers, bringing people into this industry!

Start learning the skills to get in on the growth in construction today! Build your BlockTrain profile here!