The construction industry faces significant workforce shortages, with94% of firms seeking craft workers and 85% needing salaried positions.This gap has led toproject delays for 54% of firms and cancellations or postponement in 80% of cases
Work authorizations are not meant to replace American workers but to temporarily supplement the workforce. This ensures construction projects can move forward while the domestic workforce pipeline is rebuilt through increased federal investment in training and education.
Thefederal government underinvests in construction training and education programs, creating a significant barrier to closing the industry’s skills gap.For every one dollar the federal government invests in career and technical education, it spends four dollars promoting four-year college degree programs, even though only 38% of Americans will obtain a college degree. This disparity leaves industries like construction struggling to fill critical roles, with 62% of candidates lacking essential skills. Meanwhile, there are very few lawful pathways for people to enter the country and work in construction.
This is a good point. Maybe the nation wouldn’t have a student loan crises if the government wasn’t in bed with the banks in that market. Now that distortion hurts the development of other types of work like construction workers.