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A New Partnership Begins
Master Builders Pierce pumps $5K into local workforce
by Bailee WicksCommunications Manager
The Master Builders Association of Pierce County donated $5,000 to the Pierce County Skills Center (PCSC) to kick-start a partnership that benefits local students enrolled in the school’s construction trades program.
This partnership aims to strengthen the future workforce and shorten the labor shortage gap. PCSC offers career and technical education programs and serves 10 school districts in Pierce County.
Master Builders Pierce members support PSCS’s Construction Trades curriculum by donating excess tools and supplies upon graduation, attending job fairs and connecting students to internship and job opportunities.
Director of the Pierce County Skills Center Michelle Ledbetter gives Master Builders Pierce staff and members credit for elevating the program.
“Donations, guest presenters, joint community service opportunities, and internships all prepare PCSC students to successfully enter the pipeline to high wage, high demand construction careers in Pierce County,” Ledbetter said.
The top 25% in most construction trades professions earn at least $60,000 annually in Washington state. By 2028, more than 1 million skilled trades professionals will be needed in the residential construction industry. Virtually all skilled trades professions are in high demand, including carpentry, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, roofing and painting.
The current labor shortage translates into higher housing costs, increased home prices, difficulty completing projects on time and lower economic growth.
A 2020 survey of builders by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reported that 85% of builders expected to face serious challenges regarding the cost and availability of labor in the coming year.
Master Builders Pierce continues to support students pursuing a career in construction through their scholarship program.
“Through the PSCS partnership, we expect to funnel even more support directly to students in the trades program,” said 2021 Master Builders President Corey Watson.
Thank you, Master Builders for your persistent work and ongoing partnerships to support the residential construction industry.
For more information on the PSCS partnership, contact Master Builders Pierce at (253) 272- 2112. If you have any questions or interest in BIAW’s workforce development efforts, please contact Education and Workforce Development Director Al Audette at (360) 352-7800 ext. 105 or ala@biaw.com.
