The Dire Need for Skilled Tradespeople in America

Christopher Moore - CEO Project Bild

Electricians. Plumbers. HVAC experts. We need them when the dishwasher floods the kitchen or the air conditioning’s down in the dead of summer. They’re always our first call when something in the house heads south.

Yet, despite this incredibly high demand, we’re facing an extreme shortage of skilled tradespeople in the United States. There aren't enough young workers to replace the baby boomer generation—a sizable portion of the skilled trades industry—who are nearing retirement. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that over 2.4 million skilled trades jobs will open up in the next ten years. However, only 1.4 million people—a whole million short—will have the qualifications to fill them. 

Why is there such a significant gap? For starters, the lack of exposure to trades in high school and a general drop in individuals joining the trades industry. But the stigma associated with trades careers plays a major role, too.

It’s no secret that there’s a misconception about this type of employment. Many Americans are under the impression that trades are unskilled, low-paying, and dirty jobs. Even though many of these jobs pay well and offer paths for progression, fewer people are choosing to pursue careers in the trades due to this stigma. 

Additionally, there are beliefs that trades careers are unstable, discouraging those seeking job security. This simply isn’t accurate. The immediate need for workers is anticipated to grow even more in the coming years, leaving a substantial labor gap and considerable economic impact. 

The good news? This is an opportunity for young people—and people in general—to enter fantastic and profitable careers with ease and minimal competition.

The BLS reports over 515,000 available positions in the construction sector in 2019, with an additional 430,000 positions forecast by 2029 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022). This figure illustrates an enormous disparity between the number of open positions and the pool of qualified applicants. The construction sector is one of the biggest industries in the nation, and the lack of skilled tradespeople is driving up building costs and delaying projects—impacting everyone from first-time homebuyers to commercial real estate developers.

Likely to get worse in the coming years is the shortage of electricians. By 2024, the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) estimates an 85,000-person shortage of electricians in the U.S. (Bloom, 2021). NECA has explicitly stressed the need for increased recruitment efforts to resolve this critical gap. For example, promoting electrical trades as a viable career option in high schools and trade schools, offering training programs and apprenticeships to prospective electricians, and providing incentives to attract more individuals to the industry.

Similarly, the American Welding Society forecasts a 375,000-welder shortfall by the end of 2023 (American Welding, 2022). According to this report, a labor shortage this dramatic leads to project delays and rising expenses. Fewer trained welders also negatively affects the level of craftsmanship in the welding sector as a whole.

HVAC is not exempt from this crisis. There is a critical lack of skilled people in the HVAC sector as well, with 115,000 job vacancies predicted by 2022 (AWS, 2019). The lack of qualified professionals in the HVAC business profoundly disrupts the ability to maintain comfortable and secure living and working environments for all.

Overall, America’s dwindling pool of competent tradespeople is an urgent matter impacting various businesses, delaying projects, raising expenses, and reducing the caliber of work produced. Project Bild aims to change that!

Project Bild connects eager and ambitious workers to the trades industry through enticing recruitment efforts, complete training programs, and fully funded progression to the appropriate licensure. We’re committed to renewing enthusiasm for these essential careers, educating young people about the earning potential, retirement plans, and other attractive benefits these jobs offer.

References

American Welding. (2022). Workforce development. Workforce Development: Foundation: American Welding Society. Retrieved March 3, 2023, from https://www.aws.org/foundation/page/workforce-development#:~:text=The%20demand%20for%20skilled%20welding,and%20build%20a%20skilled%20workforce.

AWS. (2019). Workforce Development. Recruiting and keeping Hvac talent. Retrieved March 3, 2023, from https://www.ferguson.com/content/newsletters/recruiting-and-keeping-hvac-talent?icid=cont_ilc_art_how-to-become-a-plumber_best-practices-for-building-a-talented-team-text

Bloom, S. (2021). Training Day in PA: With a skilled labor shortage, people and training ... Retrieved March 3, 2023, from https://www.ecmag.com/magazine/articles/article-detail/your-business-training-day-pa-skilled-labor-shortage-people-and-training-make-all

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022, September 8). Construction and extraction occupations: Occupational Outlook Handbook. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved March 3, 2023, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/home.htm

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, January 24). Construction Equipment Operators Occupational outlook handbook. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved March 3, 2023, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/construction-equipment-operators.htm