It goes without saying that we’re in the midst of a labor shortage. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that the number of unfilled job openings in the U.S. increased to over 10 million in June 2021, up from 7.1 million a year earlier.

Although many sectors have been hard-hit by the current lack of workers, the construction industry is facing a shortage first brought on by the loss of 600,000 skilled workers during the 2008 recession. That exodus has been exacerbated over the past 13 years by factors including retiring Baby Boomers and Covid-19, with the construction industry leading the positivity rates for asymptomatic cases out of all occupations.

Adding to the current situation, the future will likely bring even more pressure on construction output. Although the bipartisan infrastructure deal is still being negotiated, other existing federal and state programs are already adding new demand for workers across the country. The construction industry is facing an uphill battle when it comes to work in the pipeline and workers to complete those projects.

However, although the statistics are dire, the future isn’t. Necessity is the mother of invention, as the proverb goes, and we don’t need to look very far to find colleges and universities, businesses, industry associations and individuals bringing innovative new programs to light to help attract, train and retain construction industry workers.

It’s estimated that “65% of children entering primary school today will ultimately end up working in completely new job types that don’t yet exist.” Careers in building information modeling (BIM) and virtual design and construction (VDC) are among the up-and-coming career options that are attracting the attention of both large and small educational institutions like Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, and Georgia Highlands College in Rome, Georgia.

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