80% of contractors report difficulty finding
qualified craft workers to hire as firms give
low marks to quality of new worker pipeline
Florida Construction News staff writer
Eighty percent of construction
firms report they are having a hard
time filling hourly craft positions
that represent the bulk of the con-
struction workforce, according to
the results of an industry-wide sur-
vey released recently by the Associ-
ated General Contractors of
America (AGC). and Autodesk.
Association officials said the in-
dustry was taking a range of steps
to address the situation but called
on federal officials to takes steps to
assist those industry efforts.
Survey results for the Southern States
“Workforce shortages remain
one of the single most significant
threats to the construction indus-
try,” said Stephen E. Sandherr,
AGC’s chief executive officer. “How-
ever, construction labor shortages
are a challenge that can be fixed,
and this association will continue to
do everything in its power to make
sure that happens.”
Of the nearly 2,000 survey re-
spondents, 80 percent said they are
having difficulty filling hourly craft
positions, Sandherr said. All four re-
gions of the country are experienc-
ing similarly severe craft worker
shortages, with 83 percent of con-
tractors in the West and South re-
porting a hard time filling hourly
craft positions, almost identical to
the 81 percent rate in the Midwest
and 75 percent rate in the North-
east. Seventy-three percent of firms
report it will continue to be hard, or
get even harder, to find hourly craft
workers over the next 12 months.
One reason for their worries is that
contractors are skeptical of the
quality of the pipeline for recruiting
8 – OCTOBER 2019 — Florida Construction News
cent report they are providing in-
centives and bonuses to attract
craft workers. Firms are also taking
a greater role in developing their
own workforce. Forty-six percent re-
port that have launched or ex-
panded in-house training programs
and half report getting involved in
career building programs.
“Construction workforce short-
ages are prompting many firms to
innovate their way to greater pro-
and preparing new craft personnel.
Forty-five percent say the local
pipeline for preparing well-trained
and skilled workers is poor. And 26
percent say the pipeline for finding
workers who can pass a drug test is
poor. Labor shortages are prompting
many firms to boost pay and com-
pensation. Two-thirds of firms re-
port they have increased base pay
rates for craft workers. And 29 per-
2019 Workforce Survey Results
South Results
Total responses: 577, but number varies by question. Percentages are based on responses other than “Don’t know”
for each question.
1. In the next 12 months, do you expect your firm will hire additional or replacement:
Yes, for expansion
100% 90%
80% Yes, for replacement only
No 9%
24% 16%
37% 48%
70% 20%
60% 22%
50% 40%
19% 75%
30% 56%
20% 0%
42% 33%
10% Hourly craft personnel
Hourly office personnel
Salaried field personnel
Salaried office personnel
2. How would you describe your current situation in filling salaried and hourly craft positions?
83% We are having a hard time filling some or all
positions 56%
9% 11%
We are having no difficulty filling any positions
8% We have no openings for positions
33% 0%
10% 20%
Craft 30%
Salaried 40%
50% 60%
70% 80%
90% 100%
ductivity,” said Allison Scott, head of construction in-
tegrated marketing at Autodesk. “As the cost of
labor continues to increase and firms look to be-
come even more efficient, technology can enable
better collaboration and ultimately lead to more pre-
dictable outcomes. There is also opportunity in un-
tapped pools of talent such as tradeswomen,
veterans, and young people looking for an alterna-
tive to the traditional four-year university.”
Scott noted that 29 percent of firms report they
are investing in technology to supplement worker
duties. One-fourth of firms report they are using cut-
ting-edge solutions, including drones, robots and 3-
D printers. Meanwhile, 23 percent of firms report
they are taking steps to improve jobsite perform-
ance by relying on lean construction techniques,
using tools like Building Information Modeling and
doing more off-site prefabrication.
Even as the industry works to address labor
shortages, 44 percent of firms report they are in-
creasing construction prices and 29 percent are put-
ting longer completion times into their bids for new
work because of the lack of workers, putting future
development and infrastructure projects at risk. As-
sociation officials called on the federal government
to boost funding for career and technical education.
They also called on federal leaders to allow more im-
migrants to enter the country to work in construc-
tion, let construction students at community and
career colleges qualify for federal Pell Grants, and
make it easier for firms to establish apprenticeship
and other training programs.
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Florida Construction News — OCTOBER 2019 – 9