What your company can do to bring more workers to the construction industry 

The construction industry is booming and creates more than $1 trillion in structures every year. However, the industry is lacking an important piece of the building process: manpower. 

The number of construction projects are growing so rapidly that there are thousands of open positions with not enough workers to fill them. To save the construction industry from a slowdown, construction trades have to come together. 

Here are three actions your company can take to bring in more workers:

1. Recruit high schoolers.

A big reason construction positions are difficult to fill is there’s not enough new talent breaking into the industry. Only 3% of young adults age 18 to 25 are interested in construction trades. Today, society drills into the heads of teenagers that the only way to make money and have a stable career is to have a college degree. Trades like electricians and carpenters have a certain stigma about them that long-time industry professionals need to break.

By going into schools to talk to teens about post-graduation alternatives to college, companies in the construction industry can spread awareness of trades and the job security that comes with them. Have your company organize a team that goes to career days to talk to students about their options. Mention how trades can have a higher starting salary with less money invested in training.

2. Get more women involved.

A stereotype that comes with the construction industry is that it’s men’s work. Women don’t often consider construction trades because they don’t see themselves represented in the workplace unless they’re doing office work. Only 9.9% of construction workers are women.

When recruiting for your company, make sure to send at least one woman representative to career fairs. With visible representation, you can show that construction is not exclusive to one gender and your company is making the right strides to create a more diverse workplace.

3. Make construction sites safer.

The fatal injury rate for the construction industry is higher than the national average in this category for all industries. Workers have families to take care of and bills to pay. Many people feel the risk of serious injury isn’t worth taking a job in the construction industry. Make it your company’s mission to prioritize safety.

At Compass Group, we’re committed to safety. We have a safety expert who ensures we’re not taking shortcuts at the expense of safety. By following OSHA guidelines, we pride ourselves on our safe work environment. Less risk of injury draws more people to the industry.

Compass Group’s mission is to establish the trust and confidence of our clients as a preeminent provider of land development, design-build, and other construction services for the commercial, industrial, religious, and residential/multifamily markets. We achieve this with our commitment to delivering superior service and ensuring our clients receive a quality finished product. Contact us today if you’re interested in building something together.