Despite substantial investments in the apprenticeship training system by companies and federal and state governments, there is still a chronic shortage of construction workers in the U.S.
That’s the bottom line in an analysis of U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) data done recently by the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), a national construction industry association that is based on the merit shop philosophy and represents more than 23,000 members.
ABC members invested an estimated $1.6 billion in construction industry workforce development to upskill 1.3 million course attendees in 2023, including hundreds of government-registered apprenticeship programs (GRAPs) administered independently by ABC member companies. However, in January, the construction industry was short 439,000 workers.
The construction industry had 8.31 million employees as of February 2025, with an unemployment rate between 3.2 and 4.2 per cent during peak construction months in 2024. The ABC maintains the latest data suggests that federal and state GRAPs are failing to meet the construction industry’s short- and long-term skilled workforce development needs.
In fiscal year 2024, the construction industry’s federal and state GRAPs had about 290,000 apprentice participants and yielded less than 40,000 completers, the ABC estimates.
“Unfortunately, America’s government-registered apprenticeship system isn’t keeping up with construction industry demand for skilled craft professionals, despite encouraging progress by many stakeholders to create new programs, attract new apprentices and graduate journeymen and women at the end of a rigorous four-to-five year apprenticeship program,” explained Ben Brubeck, vice-president of regulatory, labour and state affairs at ABC.
“Despite the growth of non-union GRAPs, this data is further evidence that an all-of-the-above approach to workforce development – in contrast to the Biden administration’s policy that advanced only government-registered apprenticeship programs – is the best way to address the construction industry’s chronic skilled labor shortage.”
According to the ABC, the data provided by the DOL presents five-year trend lines that indicate stronger proportional growth in the number of non-union GRAPs apprentice participants and apprentice completers, compared to union-affiliated GRAPs since 2019.
For example, the number of participants in non-union GRAPs increased by 43 percent from 2019 to 2024, compared to 11 percent for union programs. Data also shows that the number of non-union GRAPs completers increased by 31 percent from 2019 to 2024, compared to 11 percent for union programs.
Brubeck said ABC champions GRAPs as part of a “diverse solution” to workforce development, which is needed to meet the construction industry’s demand for skilled craft professionals, engineers, estimators, and project managers.
ABC’s 67 chapters educate craft, safety, and management professionals using i-learning models like just-in-time task training, competency-based progression, and work-based learning, in addition to more than 450 GRAPs in more than 20 occupations.
Apprentices enrolled in construction industry GRAPs comprise 35.7 per cent of the 679,105 apprentices enrolled in the programs across all industries.
A new report published by the Building Talent Foundation with support from Leading Builders of America (LBA) and Weyerhaeuser lays a blueprint for strengthening the U.S. construction workforce.
Researchers suggest using technology and a “microburst” of training to enable people to acquire high-value construction skills in various categories. They also call for industry-wide, employer-adopted certifications to ensure a consistent standard of skills among workers.
Meanwhile, they highlight the importance of frequent inspections and audits to identify and address areas of continuous skill development in real-time.
Blueprint for Upskilling the Homebuilding Workforce report also suggests upskilling key stakeholders, including educators, employers, trade associations, and workforce development organizations.
The study also stresses the importance of promoting careers in building trades and expanding training opportunities to underrepresented groups in homebuilding, thereby enlarging the talent pipeline.
Ken Gear, CEO of LBA, a trade association comprised of 21 of the largest builders in the nation, said companies in the organization are committed to improving the quality of homes and investing in training.
Looking to the future, the study identifies critical technical skills needed to leverage new building technologies deployed on jobsites, such as installing new heat pumps and EV charging infrastructure.
The Associated Builders and Contractors, a national association based on the merit shop philosophy and representing more than 23,000 members, invested an estimated $1.6 billion in construction industry workforce development to upskill 1.3 million course attendees in 2023.Image: Shutterstock
“The benefits of addressing continuous skill development are extensive,” said Gear. “Enhanced workforce skills will ensure timely project completions, improving overall project outcomes and efficiency.
“Ultimately, improving workforce productivity, and the quality of homes built, will lower construction costs, making homes more affordable and home ownership more attainable to more people.”
The study found that greater involvement from all industry representatives is vital, and builders, manufacturers, and contractors must be involved with their local trade schools.
The study concluded that employers must integrate these skills into their on-the-job training to maintain a competitive edge in the industry.
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