ABCMembersInvest $1.5BinConstruction WorkforceEducation

Associated Builders and Contractors member contractors invested more than $1.5 billion to provide nearly 1.3 million course attendees with craft, leadership and safety education in 2022, according to its 2023 Workforce Development Survey, down from $1.6 billion in 2021.

The assessment quantifies the scope of ABC members’ workforce development initiatives to advance employees’ careersincommercialandindustrialconstructiontobuildthe places whereAmericans live, work, learn, heal and play.

Key findings include: ï ABC contractors invested an average of 8.0 percent of payroll on workforce development in 2022, up from 7.4 percentin2021,respondingtotheneedformorethanhalfamillion additional construction workers in 2023. ïSafetyeducationformorethan700,000courseattendees accounted for the greatest share of spending, at 59 percent, up from 56 percent in 2021. ïTradeandspecialtycontractorsboostedtheirshareofthe total workforce development investment, growing to 42 percent in 2022 from 33 percent in 2021.

“ABC member contractors are building the people who build America by investing billions to cultivate their longtermskillsets,creatingabrighterfutureforbothworkersand workers’ families,” said Greg Sizemore, ABC’s vice president of health, safety, environment and workforce development.

“ABC member contractors are investing in flexible, competency-based and market-driven education methodologies tobuildaconstructionworkforcethatissafe,skilledandproductive. Continually upskilling our people, our most valuable asset, means the merit shop construction industry is ready to build the infrastructure, manufacturing plants, data centers and other buildings that will keepAmerica competitive in the global marketplace.”

ABC’s approach to workforce development has produced a network of chapters and affiliates across the country that offer more than 800 apprenticeship, craft, safety and management education programs to build the people who build America.

Industry consulting firm FMI conducted the 2022 WorkforceDevelopmentSurveyfromJan.4toMay5,2023. Aggregated data was derived by calculating the average amountspentoneducationbyeachrespondentandmultiplying that by the total number ofABC contractor members. For more information, visit abc.org.