just didn’t make it through the recession partly due to these factors. Just a few of the trades that are lacking skilled laborers are: roofers, bricklayers/masons, carpenters, electricians, HVAC, and the list goes on. This issue has prompted BIAW to create a Workforce Development Program for Association members. This program matches companies with employees that have industryrelated work skills. The employer would then provide additional onthe-job training to meet specific work requirements. This is a win for both the skilled employees looking for work, and the companies that need them.
finding labor and subcontractors.” Dean went on to explain that the shortage means projects take longer, are more expensive, and they may eventually need to turn clients away. Dean also shared that Lewis County is a tough market for those in the building industry; the cost of building materials has risen everywhere but he hasn’t passed those costs on to the client because he needs to keep his product affordable for the people taking the next step and building a home in his community. This has eaten into the company’s profit margin, which also makes hiring and keeping good employees tough. A lot of builders
with students. She stated that there are good paying jobs in the building industry for people that have a good work ethic and are excited about having a career that they are proud of. There are many schools of thought behind the reason for the shortage, such as, skilled trades people moved on to other industries during the recession, they stopped looking for work all together, took other jobs or they made the choice to retire when work became scarce. Sharon O’Malley of Construction DIVE in her article “10 Ways Construction Companies Can Outsmart the Labor Shortage,” had some good recommendations, such as being proactive with recruiting, constantly training employees, encouraging longtime employees to mentor newer employees, getting involved with coaching the employees of the future by mentoring at local high schools, committing to hiring vets, and increasing pay and benefits. Ideas like these and programs like BIAW’s Workforce Development Program are a great start but as an Association we’ll continue to look at this issue to find solutions.
Lisa Mohoric and her husband Steve, of Mohoric Refrigeration in Centralia, have been in business since 1979 and Lisa said, “The last two years have been the worst I have ever seen for finding and hiring quality employees.” Lisa, similar to Curtis Dean, shared that the lack of skilled labor has changed the way they do business. “We’ve had to be more selective of the work we take, put current clients as a priority, or we’ve had to tell people that it will be a longer wait. This has never been our business model. We’ve always strived to take any job that In a 2015 NAHB survey of comes our way, builders, 69% reported but when it’s just labor and subcontractor my husband and shortages for those willing one technician doing the work to do rough carpentry as we can only do so either serious, or that they much work,” Lisa are seeing some shortage. shared. Lisa would like to see high schools putting more of an emphasis on trades and trade schools when discussing options
In the meantime, if you’re a high school student or a parent of a high school student who isn’t suited for the four-year track, or an individual that is looking for a rewarding career, look into technical education, construction jobs, or apprenticeships today!
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