Number of Construction Workers Must Increase to Keep Up With Current Building Sector Demand

In the latest report from the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Home Builders Institute (HBI), the number of construction workers needed to keep up with the current building sector demand is approximately 740,000 per year. This is according to an article that appeared in Builder.com.

HBI trains skilled workers for the building industry by providing pre-apprenticeship and advance training certification programs, assistance in obtaining apprenticeship, and job placement services for students.

According to the Spring 2022 HBI Construction Labor Market Report, compiled for the HBI by the NAHB Economics Department, the demand for construction workers remains “strong,” with 103,000 net residential construction jobs added over the last 12 months. On the other hand, the number of open, unfilled jobs in the overall construction industry totals between 300,000 and 400,000 positions.

The HBI estimates the industry will need more than 61,000 net hires a month to fill vacant positions, adjust for the projected growth of the construction industry, and replace the individuals estimated to leave the sector permanently. According to the report, the median age of construction workers is 41; however, due to aging trends, the share of construction workers aged 25 to 54 decreased to 69% from 72.2% from 2015 to 2019.

In a statement included within the article, HBI CEO Ed Bradley said, “As a nation, we need to build the next generation of skilled tradespeople. That means recruiting more women. It means training and placing minority, lower-income, and opportunity youth for good-paying jobs as an important way to fight against social inequality.”