From the foundations of homes to the complex infrastructure of bridges and tunnels, construction craft laborers are the backbone of the building industry. To address the significant gap between the demand for these workers and the availability of trained workers, investment in recruiting and preparing them has become essential, and innovative approaches are rolling out in real time.
Stable, Middle Class Careers
The labor shortage in the construction industry is nothing new, and the industry is leaning in with new ways to attract, prepare and put more skilled workers on the job. For example, the Kansas City, Missouri based contractor, Burns & McDonnell, has opened its own construction academy in Houston, Texas, and has ambitious plans for mobile education units across the country too:
Burns & McDonnell announced that it had opened its construction academy, which will provide online knowledge assessments and hands-on craft construction training. The academy will seek to educate craft employees in the Houston area on campus and send mobile units out to jobsites around the U.S. Academy students will then go on to work on Burns & McDonnell projects….“The Construction Academy is a bold step forward in our vision to be the premier provider of craft construction labor in the country,” Brett Williams, president…at Burns & McDonnell, said….“Through our combination of knowledge and hands-on assessments, we are equipping our construction professionals with the tools they need to be successful out in the field.”
With Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) estimating that about 439,000 new workers need to be brought into construction in 2025 alone, increased, swift, and strategic action to overcome the skilled labor gap is critical, as ABC’s chief economist underscores; “Despite that being a slightly improved labor outlook compared to previous years, “if you’re a builder, particularly a nonresidential builder, what this indicates is that your main challenge in 2025 will continue to be finding workers to do the work….” Though the new recruitment and training facility in Houston will not be completed until 2026, hopes are high that it will have a big and lasting impact:
The 14,000-square-foot recruitment and training facility, located in the Houston suburb of Pearland, Texas, includes classroom space and learning areas for construction professionals to train. A hands-on skills assessment facility that simulates working on a jobsite will be complete in 2026….The academy will train and hire for its construction projects across craft skills, such as pipefitting, electrical, carpentry, equipment operation, welding, ironworking and rigging…..The top industries in which Burns & McDonnell anticipates demand for craft workers include oil and gas, electrical substations, solar power and battery storage, water and aviation fueling.
Good To Know
Leadership at ABC reminds us that training skilled workers for the building fields ultimately accomplishes even more than solving current labor woes: “That’s how we create a larger middle class by exposing these less experienced construction workers to training programs, apprenticeship programs that allow them to develop higher-in-demand skillsets, whether it is for carpentry, electrical work, HVAC….” Curious about what exactly training for skilled craft workers entails? Learn Your Trade offers a core curriculum that includes:
- Safety
- Math
- Hand Tools & Power Tools
- Rigging
- Material Handling
- Employability & Communication
- Drawings
Commitment to building talented teams, thinking big and taking practical action are more essential than ever for successful construction business operations. Ready to step up your game? Colonial Surety is here to help. Let’s partner. Once qualified for The Partnership Account®, you’ll use our power of attorney to issue your own bid bonds, in minutes. Order performance and payment bonds with speed and ease too. Plus, you’ll run your business more efficiently and competitively than ever as you leverage your:
- surety line of credit—in writing;
- private digital dashboard;
- daily snapshot of single and aggregate limits
- ability to update work on hand—and grow.
Get started right now—and get your free financial scores too:
Pre-Qualify for The Partnership Account® for Contractors
Not ready? We’re here to help you too. Try our Hometown Bond Program, which offers local builders credit based underwriting bonds for up to $250k—with no financial statements required.
Surety Bond programs for construction businesses of every size are right here: Bonding Programs at Colonial Surety Company
Founded in 1930, Colonial Surety Company is a leading direct seller and writer of surety bonds and insurance products across the USA. Colonial is rated “A Excellent” by A.M. Best Company and U.S. Treasury listed. Let’s connect today: Colonial Surety.