The Construction Industry needs 500,000 workers by, like, yesterday

The construction industry faces a gap of a half million workers, according to Construction Dive - a gap that is expected to widen in the coming years.

As billions of federal dollars pour into new infrastructure projects, the application rate for technical jobs like plumber and electrician dropped by 49% between 2020 and 2022 (NPR).

Since America began to de-industrialize after World War II, education was reimagined to emphasize seeking four-year degrees. This created a K-12 system that frankly doesn’t do any job training. Unfortunately, four-year college is held up as the ultimate goal for every student while student debt is rising - and only two-thirds of those with degrees say the debt was “worth it.” (YouGov)

According to numbers from the National Electrical Contractors Association, 7,000 electricians join the field each year, but 10,000 retire. And as job openings continue to increase without new laborers to fill them, the situation could impact every element of services: wait times, work quality and cost.

Some 30 million jobs in the U.S. that pay an average of $55,000 per year don't require a bachelor's degree.

Right now, the average age of a carpentry apprentice is 27.

If you’re considering a career in the trades, start building your BlockTrain profile today!