Chad Fisher Construction (CFC) has been in business for many years because of a strong leadership team and very skilled and experienced workforce.
The Pacific Northwest construction industry remains vibrant, and is brimming with opportunities for training to build up the next workforce. Needless to say, becoming a construction worker is not something that happens overnight.
However, skilled labor shortages in the construction trade industry are becoming an increasingly frequent occurrence. Below, we unpack why and highlight potential opportunities for trade development.
Why Is There A Skilled Labor Shortage In Construction Trades?
The construction trades industry has seen several ups and downs over the years. The early stages of the pandemic created a lot of uncertainty and challenging adjustments. As a result, some projects were paused or cancelled and many construction workers lost their jobs. We are very grateful to have avoided those difficulties and continue to grow. We are particularly grateful for our construction trade workers and employees who make this company great.
Contrary to what it may seem, the construction industry in general has seen upward growth in recent years. This growth doesn’t match the demand, however, and there are simply not enough skilled individuals to keep up with project requirements.
Even before the pandemic, the earlier 2009 recession had significant effects on the labor force of the construction industry. Fewer high school graduates considered the construction industry as a career prospect.
In addition, ‘white collar’ jobs and college commitments of four years or more appeared to be the only post-secondary routes for education and training.
This only worsens the already widening gap in the construction industry as older, trained craftsmen start to retire. As they leave, there is simply no one to take their place.
There is a way to keep up with rising construction industry demands. The solution involves placing greater emphasis on technical trade school opportunities. Fortunately, there are some great technical skill center schools and resources available to students considering construction as a career here in Skagit County and Snohomish County. We will explore some of these in the next section.
Training Resources For The Next Generation Of Workers
Sno-Isle Tech Skills Center
The Sno-Isle Tech Skills Center is one of the premier technical trade schools in the state of Washington. It provides training to high school juniors and seniors who want to explore alternative pathways to a career.
The Sno-Isle Tech Skills Center is helping address the labor shortage by focusing on workforce development. They help students to foster highly-employable skills in one of 22 programs, including construction trades.
The Skills Center adopts a hands-on approach to learning, with teachers who have experience in the trade fields. With field trips, projects, and guest speakers, students can gain both practical and theoretical knowledge of the trade. Sno-Isle provides many opportunities for networking and receiving guidance from skilled professionals.
Students are responsible for the training tools and items in the workshop. This creates room for more responsibility and accountability. The main project that students receive is to build a “tiny house”. The great part of this project is that the house has an end-purpose to benefit vulnerable groups of people.
In partnership with the Low Housing Institute, these houses serve as interim housing for homeless individuals. This shared accountability helps to streamline projects. It also gives students purpose to fully direct their attention to the project and complete it by the deadline.
Sno-Isle Tech also takes safety very seriously. As such, they provide extensive safety training throughout the year. They encourage a positive safety culture and students have to follow all safety guidelines.
Northwest Career and Technical Academy
Another great training program helping to stem the tide of the labor shortage is the Northwest Career and Technical Academy (NCTA) Construction Program. NCTA adopts a student-led study approach. This approach relies on:
- student choice for continued course development and improvement
- real-world experience on projects
- and teaching staff that are committed to their students.
The teaching of the program course occurs in September and provides class materials through Google Classroom. The program trains students on everything from workplace safety to learning how to use tools. The goal is to train students and teach them professional skills for workplace preparation.
Whether you have an interest in electrical, carpentry, plumbing, or contracting, NCTA takes students through the whole process. Students learn:
- How to read blueprints
- Communication skills
- Framing skills for pre-construction
- Construction-based applied math
- Residential electrical wiring
- Plumbing
NCTA aims to set up students comprehensively for work in the construction industry. They also provide students with the skills to go on to further post-secondary education programs, entry-level employment, or apprenticeships.
Final Thoughts
Unfortunately, it is likely that we are only seeing the beginning of skilled labor shortage in construction. As cities continue to grow and develop, there is a strong and growing demand for skilled craftsmen. Filling this gap is crucial. Luckily, there are still some excellent training programs in the Pacific Northwest. These are available to anyone interested in the construction trade.
At Chad Fisher Construction, we are always interested in talented people seeking new opportunities. We have delivered countless projects to many satisfied clients thanks to a team of highly-skilled, trained, and experienced employees. So, we welcome qualified applicants to get in touch with us.