The latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows about 380,000 unfilled jobs in the construction industry. Those unfilled jobs represent a tangible barrier to housing production and housing affordability. They also represent an opportunity to connect young people to great careers.
At jobsites across the U.S., home builders face delays and rising costs because they cannot find experienced building trade professionals for key parts of the building process. We must all commit to a collaborative effort and a wide range of potential solutions to address the housing industry’s labor gap and develop the workforce of the future.
At NAHB, we’re working hard to be part of the solution by partnering with educators, state and local home building associations, and other industry stakeholders. Policymakers, and sound policies, must also be part of the answer.
NAHB supports expanding federal and state training and employment opportunities to prepare individuals for careers in construction, but there’s still a bias against the industry. Funding for career and technical education lags far behind federal investment in academic and degree programs. Through the Home Builders Institute, the workforce development arm of NAHB, the association helps lead career-building programs that include Job Corps, Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate Training, and Residential Construction Superintendent Certification.
The Home Depot Foundation has partnered with HBI to expand trades training programs in high schools. Young people, veterans, displaced workers, and under-served populations develop marketable skills through training programs across the U.S.
In support of Generation T, a movement to help rebuild the skilled trades in America, NAHB is working with Lowe’s Home Improvement and others to offer jobs and training programs to help close the job skills gap and connect people to opportunities in the skilled trades. February is Careers in Technical Education Month, and NAHB and local home builder associations are partnering to direct middle school students toward the skilled trades. These efforts help students learn about industry career opportunities.
Parents, teachers, counselors, and students need to recognize that a vocational education can offer a satisfying career path without leaving young people saddled with student debt. It is time to reexamine the widely held belief that a college degree represents the only road to success.
Labor shortages slow the home building industry and push prices beyond the means of many home buyers. The strain of finding and retaining quality workers is a common thread among those of us in the residential construction industry, and demand for new workers in the housing industry is only expected to grow.
It is our collective responsibility to concentrate efforts on workforce development. Each of us must raise awareness about the labor shortage and help educate the public about opportunities in the trades. Together, we can recruit the next generation of skilled labor that will help make homeownership a reality for all. Visit nahb.org/workforce for more resources.
