Tech-savvy workers needed to solve construction labor shortages

The construction sector has serious staffing problems.

According to Related Builders and Contractors (ABC) The construction industry will need to attract 546,000 new workers to keep pace with labor demand. This is much more than a potential problem of tomorrow. This is an urgent matter right now. Nearly a quarter of construction workers are over the age of 55, making the inevitable wave of retirements a threat to several priorities, including increasing access to affordable housing and developing local communities.

Finding qualified specialists to replace them will not be easy. Even considering that 2.1 million people are expected to leave other industries to work in the construction sector, which more than offsets the 1.9 million people who will leave the construction sector in 2024; To keep up with demand, ABC estimates the US construction sector will need to add 500,000 new workers this year.

Moreover, as construction professions increasingly require advanced technological skills, companies will need to upskill and reskill a significant portion of their existing workforce to keep pace with evolving construction strategies and best practices.

In other words, the talent shortage in the construction sector is more than just a matter of employment. It is a holistic approach to workforce, requiring more and more skilled workers to meet demand.

While no single solution will completely solve this challenge, technological advances can play a key role in strengthening and rejuvenating the construction workforce. Simply put, technology eliminates immediate staffing shortages and plays a key role in long-term productivity improvements in the industry. Here’s how the industry can leverage them even more to its advantage this year and beyond.

A younger, tech-focused talent pool

Today’s college students and graduates are tech natives. They have never known a world that was not dominated by ubiquitous Internet access, efficient and accessible hardware, and application-based experiences. Increasingly, this means that GenZ employees and potential employees are not just people from the tech industry. They too are AI natives.

According to Axios, “College students are increasingly eager to take courses in generative artificial intelligence (GAI) to better give them an edge in the growing number of jobs requiring such skills.” The construction sector cannot afford to be left behind, so it must fight the belief that construction is a field solely saturated with manual work, without access to or need for advanced technologies. In fact, the industry is actively implementing digital technologies at every stage of a project, from ideation and planning to real-world implications and tactical execution.

To engage a younger, tech-focused talent pool, the construction sector and local businesses should consider developing internship programs and other partnerships with universities offering courses related to the construction industry, such as construction management, property development, architecture and engineering.

Collaborations with universities and local educational initiatives allow construction entities to leverage university efforts to attract students and promote internships and career opportunities in the construction industry. This approach helps companies engage students who are already interested in related fields and may be looking for real-world applications in college.

When interacting with students, whether through internships or speaking at universities, demonstrate the use of modern technologies in projects and operations. By demonstrating the use of advanced technologies and digital solutions instead of outdated software or manual processes, construction companies are actively engaging their future talent, proving it is attractive and compelling to the next generation of construction professionals.

Use technology to be more efficient

Integrating the latest technologies with modern construction processes, including administrative automation, streamlined workflows, improved communication protocols and data-driven decision-making, increases efficiency and effectiveness.

This process should not be difficult for construction companies. After all, outdated technology hinders innovation and improvement, increases costs, and limits opportunities for growth and expansion. For example, legacy systems may limit a company’s ability to adopt additional, niche technology solutions due to budget constraints and operational inefficiencies. On the other hand, modern technology stacks offer a more cost-effective and efficient solution, enabling construction companies to leverage a wider range of tools and applications that improve project management, safety and other critical aspects of construction work.

Once you adopt a modern technology stack, opportunities for efficiency and automation immediately emerge. This includes automatic project reminders, streamlined creation of workflows connecting all stakeholders, and improved document management, which allows for significant time savings by consolidating information from multiple stakeholders in one, accessible place.

It also creates a relevant data index that – especially when combined with the growing capabilities of AI and ML technologies – creates searchable, analytical data sets that unlock even greater potential as specific details of project plans, drawings or documents are shared. Unlike traditional methods of searching PDFs, emails, Excel files, or even physical notes and drawings, modern systems allow you to quickly search for keywords, saving tangible time and effort.

Improve knowledge gap and process training

The use of technology allows for better collaboration and communication by creating a “text-based” environment for specific operational functions of the project. This is particularly useful for managing requests for information (RFIs) or tickets, where traditional email chains can become cumbersome and inefficient. With software solutions that can centralize thousands of pieces of information, including attachments and tags, facilitating the transfer of information between dozens of different stakeholders has never been easier.

As a result, technology-enabled teams can maintain communication flow and ensure all team members have access to the latest data and project updates. In this way, construction technology solves the problem of proper visualization of the workflow. It enables seamless communication, similar to a group chat environment, but specifically tailored for construction project management tasks such as planning, RFIs and submissions.

Ultimately, when teams work better together, they maximize available resources, ensuring each team member has the opportunity to achieve their best. This does not eliminate the consequences of staff shortages, but it allows each construction team to make the most of its staff in all circumstances.

The construction industry is facing a serious staffing challenge, which is further exacerbated by the aging workforce and the growing demand for employees with technological qualifications. However, technology offers a viable solution to fill this gap and revitalize the sector. By engaging a younger, technology-focused talent pool and leveraging technology to increase productivity and operational efficiency, the construction industry can fill the workforce gap and thrive for years to come.