Page 22 - Green Builder Nov-Dec 2021 Issue

CREDIT: ISTOCK/SOLSTOCK
Crisis-Level

Labor Shortage The largest sources of

With the construction industry facing a projected shortage of about housing inventory in 2022
61,000 workers per month—and the expected loss of about 3 percent of will be:
its current workforce over the next several years due to aging or people
simply leaving the sector for good—there’s an immediate need to bring
in some new blood. “We need to build the next generation of skilled
tradespeople in construction,” says HBI President and CEO Ed Brady. “One of
our most important tasks as an industry is to work with parents, educators
and students, as early as the middle school years, to demonstrate that HOMEOWNERS
young people can have the promise of great jobs and careers in the trades.” WHO PERMANENTLY
Brady says there are six fundamental steps that home builders can take LEAVE THE MARKET PRE-OWNED HOMES
40%
to increase the number of skilled construction trade workers: 9.6%
1. Reach out to secondary school students, and those who influence
their decisions, to change their perception of careers in construction.
2. Increase worker pay while balancing the need to keep homeownership
affordable.
3. Attract more women into careers in construction. NEW CONSTRUCTION
4. Train and place more minority and lower-income youth and adults in 22.5%
important industry jobs.
5. Increase trade skills education for veterans and transitioning military.
6. Work for bipartisan approaches to sensible immigration policies.

20 GREEN BUILDER November/December 2021 www.greenbuildermedia.com