Shortage of construction workers driving up costs, slowing projects (lawyers, unemployment)

[waronxmas]

Originally Posted by cqholt

We have a huge storage of skilled laborers in this country as it is not seen as sexy or successful as college graduation. Even though many times employees can make more money and have less debt. We need more technical classes in HS and courses at local community colleges.

Part of the problem is that we have painted ourselves in to a corner as a society because we have cast those jobs as ones only uneducated "poors" take. Even in K-12, kids are told that they either go to college or become a loser with no in between.

[Newsboy]

I believe this is called "supply and demand" and the basic tenet of our entire economic system, no?

[ATLTJL]

How much does it pay now?

No idea, but I know this....if there's a shortage, that means the pay isn't at equilibrium.

If they want to beef up the supply, just dangle a bigger carrot. It's not complicated.

[glovenyc]

If you think it's a shortage now, just wait until Donnie builds his wall

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

No idea, but I know this....if there's a shortage, that means the pay isn't at equilibrium.

If they want to beef up the supply, just dangle a bigger carrot. It's not complicated.

I don't think it's that simple. There are a lot of high-paying jobs with personnel shortages. It really comes down to available skill sets.

As the story aludes to, a ton of people who used to work in the construction industry in Metro Atlanta either moved, or moved on to other careers. You can't "fix" that overnight just by raising pay.

Also, just to illustrate how complicated the industry ebb and flow and can be in Metro Atlanta: Back in the late 1990s, Fayette County Schools launched a massive expansion / construction era that was planned and budgeted during the build-up to the Olympics, when construction jobs were at peak capacity and salaries etc at record highs. When bids came in to start constructing these new schools, the actual costs ended up being much lower than the BOE had anticipated and budgeted for -- approved by the voters, etc. So when it was all said and done, they had several million in construction money left over that, by law, had to be spent. So they went back in the 2000s and built performing arts centers, new gyms etc at all the high schools, among other things.

[DJDeadParrot]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

I don't think it's that simple. There are a lot of high-paying jobs with personnel shortages. It really comes down to available skill sets.

As the story aludes to, a ton of people who used to work in the construction industry in Metro Atlanta either moved, or moved on to other careers. You can't "fix" that overnight just by raising pay.

^ Exactly! I'd rep you if I could.

The average salary for a utility lineman is in the neighborhood of $67,000 a year. Some parts of the country, its quite a bit more. Its hazardous work [mistakes are very fatal], out in the elements, for long hours.

[ATLTJL]

The average salary for a utility lineman is in the neighborhood of $67,000 a year. Some parts of the country, its quite a bit more. Its hazardous work [mistakes are very fatal], out in the elements, for long hours.

I guarantee you that if they made the average salary $167,000, the shortage would be over in a year or two.

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

I guarantee you that if they made the average salary $167,000, the shortage would be over in a year or two.

No.

Using this logic, if we just paid EVERYBODY a lot more money there would be NO shortage of available workers OR jobs OR unemployment?

[DreamerD]

Originally Posted by cwkimbro

I prefer to see it as things are returning to normal and wages will need to stabilize to something higher and not lower as they trended during our "great recession" era.

However, there is some truth that it has been 8 years and many have retired and moved onto other things and this industry (and many others) need to get back in the habit of not taking on the 'perfect worker' that has all the skills lined up exactly and get back into the habit of on-job training at a normal rate.

Exactly!! Businesses need to be willing to train people who have lttle experience or pay more to attract the already experienced workers. I agree.

[samiwas1]

I wonder how much the burgeoning film industry has cut into it. Why go work 1099 for $12 an hour on some random construction crew (i made that up, but I'm betting it's not too far off) when they can go make more than double that with benefits constructing film sets?