Without a Trained Workforce, the Infrastructure Bill Is Useless
Cory Albano
January 7, 2022
As the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act slowly gets implemented across the country, businesses are desperately seeking skilled workers to meet the coming demand. Baby Boomers are aging out of the workforce and fewer young people are replacing them, leaving massive gaps in important industries like construction, mechanical services, and trucking – all needed to rebuild and strengthen America’s roads, bridges, water infrastructure, and other large-scale projects.
Recent surveys show that the American construction industry, in particular, faces a shortage of at least 2 million workers, which will persist through 2025 if trends continue. Almost 90 percent of commercial-construction contractors report significant difficulty finding skilled workers; as a result, one-third of these contractors cannot accept new work. The worker shortage is extending to other sectors that will be important for implementing the infrastructure plan, including the mechanical, engineering, and materials industries.
