Faced with an increasing shortage of construction jobs, industry-academic partnerships are needed to draw highly skilled workers to close a widening gap in this field.

These partnerships are essential to the construction profession, as they provide new and innovative vocational educational curriculum and facilities designed to expand and improve training for the industry’s future workforce.

This collaboration has great potential to reverse the downward trend in construction workers nationwide. According to the U.S.Bureau of Labor Statistics, unfilled positions in the construction industry are expected to grow to more than 740,000 vacancies by 2026.

An alternative to rising college costs

A renewed focus on vocational construction education comes at a critical juncture, as rising costs to attend traditional four-year colleges and universities restrict student access to these institutions.

This has led to an increasing number of college-bound students opting for more affordable educational alternatives, such as vocational careers in construction at two-year community colleges. Gen Zers tend to approach higher education as a value proposition. They shun fields of study at higher education institutions that aren’t a sound return on their investment.

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