In a 2020 survey of National Association of Homebuilders members, 85 percent of respondents reported that the availability and cost of workers is the most significant challenge builders will face in 2020. This translates into higher housing costs, increased home prices, difficulty completing projects on time, and lower economic growth.
A small, dedicated group of GHBA members is working to identify and support opportunities for workforce development in our 11-county service area. Though many efforts have been underway to improve workforce development over the years, this new, strategic effort will bring together GHBA efforts and engage new partners to help build our next generation of workers.
Opportunities to volunteer to support residential construction workforce development include:
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- Participate in career fairs hosted by GHBA and partners, to help find pathways to employment for job seekers
- Speak to students about your experience in the industry and potential career paths
- Host students on a field trip to see home construction in action
- Work with other industries on school district advisory boards for technical education
- Mentor clients of social service organizations as they start their residential construction careers
“The residential construction community must become an advocate for its industry by beginning to educate young people – at least as early as the 8th grade – on the professional career opportunities that exist in construction. Educators want to be able to direct their students toward meaningful career choices and employment.”
If you choose to volunteer in any way, you won’t be going it alone. The Texas Association of Builders has developed an excellent toolkit, including a PowerPoint slideshow, that can help guide your conversation with students. Perry Homes has also graciously worked with TAB and GHBA to develop a cheat sheet for residential construction careers and starting salaries for a variety of positions in the industry, as well as information on training programs in our community.
The Workforce Development Working Group is planning a Construction Hiring Event to be held in late summer. More information on the event and a link to register will be available on the “Jobs” page at www.GHBA.org.
If you would like to make a difference in any of these ways, or bring new ideas to the table, please contact Aimee Bertrand at abertrand@ghba.org for information on our next Workforce Development Working Group.
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