FMI Warns Craft Labor Shortage May Slow Construction

Surveying members of the Construction Personnel Executives Group, FMI reports, "24 percent of respondents will be unable to bid more work and 32 percent will experience slow growth if their companies cannot reasonably meet the need for skilled labor and tradespeople." Top executives at the largest contract firms in the U.S. took part in the survey. "Overall, there’s an increase needed in skilled trade workers of more than 10 percent thoughout the next three to 10 years," says Ken Wilson, director for FMI, citing highlights from survey partipants. One large construction company says, "Our current hiring forecast shows a need for 8,500 additional craft workers by 2017."