{"id":938,"date":"2018-03-28T15:45:10","date_gmt":"2018-03-28T19:45:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/?p=938"},"modified":"2022-06-06T18:08:49","modified_gmt":"2022-06-06T22:08:49","slug":"who-will-rebuild-houston","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/who-will-rebuild-houston\/","title":{"rendered":"Tackling the Labor Shortage: Who Will Rebuild Houston?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"m-entry__feedback\"><div class=\"m-feedback-prompt\">\n\t\t  <h4 class=\"m-feedback-prompt__header\">Was this article helpful?<\/h4>\n\t\t  <a href=\"#\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button m-feedback-prompt__social m-feedback-prompt__social_thumbsup yes\" data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:yes\">\n\t\t    <i class=\"fa fa-thumbs-up\">&nbsp;<\/i>\n\t\t  <\/a>\n\t\t  <a href=\"#\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button m-feedback-prompt_form no\" data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:no\">\n\t\t    <i class=\"fa fa-thumbs-down\">&nbsp;<\/i>\n\t\t  <\/a><br>\n\t\t  <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__display m-feedback-prompt__social yes\">\n\t\t    <p class=\"m-feedback-prompt__text\">Awesome, share it:<\/p>\n\t\t    <a class=\"m-feedback-prompt__social--button p-button-social has-icon facebook fa fa-facebook\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/who-will-rebuild-houston\/\" onclick=\"javascript:window.open(this.href,\n  '', 'menubar=no,toolbar=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,height=600,width=600');return false;\">\n\t\t      <span class=\"p-button-social__social-text\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t    <\/a>\n\t\t    <a class=\"m-feedback-prompt__social--button p-button-social has-icon twitter fa fa-twitter\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/who-will-rebuild-houston\/&text=Tackling the Labor Shortage: Who Will Rebuild Houston?\" onclick=\"javascript:window.open(this.href,\n  '', 'menubar=no,toolbar=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,height=600,width=600');return false;\">\n\t\t      <span class=\"p-button-social__social-text\">Tweet<\/span>\n\t\t    <\/a>\n\t\t    <a class=\"m-feedback-prompt__social--button p-button-social has-icon googleplus fa fa-google-plus\" href=\"https:\/\/plus.google.com\/share?url=http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/who-will-rebuild-houston\/\" onclick=\"javascript:window.open(this.href,\n  '', 'menubar=no,toolbar=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,height=600,width=600');return false;\">\n\t\t      <span class=\"p-button-social__social-text\">Google Plus<\/span>\n\t\t    <\/a>\n\t\t    <a class=\"m-feedback-prompt__social--button p-button-social has-icon linkedin fa fa-linkedin\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/who-will-rebuild-houston\/&title=Tackling the Labor Shortage: Who Will Rebuild Houston?\" onclick=\"javascript:window.open(this.href,\n  '', 'menubar=no,toolbar=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,height=600,width=600');return false;\">\n\t\t      <span class=\"p-button-social__social-text\">LinkedIn<\/span>\n\t\t    <\/a>\n\t\t  <\/div>\n\t\t  \t<div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__display m-feedback-prompt__form no\">\n\t\t  \t<div class=\"thanks feedback-nodisplayall\"><h2>Thanks!<h2><div class=\"m-contact\"><p>Thanks for getting in touch with us.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t    <form id=\"contact-form\" class=\"new_support_request\" action=\"\" accept-charset=\"UTF-8\" method=\"post\">\n\t\t    <input type=\"hidden\" id=\"authenticity_token\" name=\"authenticity_token\" value=\"5a9d7753b4\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wp_http_referer\" value=\"\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/938\" \/>\n\t\t      <input value=\"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/who-will-rebuild-houston\/\" type=\"hidden\" name=\"currenturl\" id=\"currenturl\">\n\t\t      <input value=\"Tackling the Labor Shortage: Who Will Rebuild Houston?\" type=\"hidden\" name=\"currenttitle\" id=\"currenttitle\">\n\t\t      <label class=\"is-required\">Help us improve. Give us your feedback:<\/label>\n\t\t      <textarea class=\"p-input__textarea\" name=\"feedbackmessage\" id=\"feedbackmessage\"><\/textarea>\n\t\t      <label class=\"is-required\">Your Full Name:<\/label>\n\t\t      <input class=\"p-input__text\" type=\"text\" name=\"feedbackfullname\" id=\"feedbackfullname\">\n\t\t      <label class=\"is-required\">Your email address:<\/label>\n\t\t      <input class=\"p-input__text\" type=\"text\" name=\"mailinglistemail\" id=\"mailinglistemail\">\n\t\t      <div class=\"feedback-message\" id=\"feedback-message\"><\/div>\n\t\t      <div class=\"__submit\">\n\t\t        <input type=\"submit\" name=\"commit\" value=\"Submit\" class=\"p-button\" id=\"submit-contact-form\" data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:submit\">\n\t\t      <\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/form>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Houston, we have a problem. From late August through September of last year, storms pounded the Gulf Coast, causing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2017\/09\/11\/harvey-and-irma-economic-hit-could-total-200-billion-moodys.html\"><span class=\"s2\">an estimated $200 billion<\/span><\/a> in damages. Subsequent rebuilding efforts have increased construction demand and put a spotlight on a challenge that all the money in the world can&#8217;t fix right away\u2014skilled labor shortage in construction. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">This issue isn\u2019t unique to Houston\u2014it\u2019s nationwide. <a href=\"http:\/\/nahbnow.com\/2017\/01\/top-concern-for-builders-remains-unchanged-in-2017\/\"><span class=\"s2\">A study<\/span><\/a> conducted by the National Association of Home Builders found that 82 percent of its members cited cost and availability of labor to be the biggest issues they face. This number is way up from the 13 percent reported back in 2011. In fact, since the housing bust in 2008, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/labor-shortage-a-new-blueprint-for-americas-construction-trades\/\"><span class=\"s2\">1.5 million residential workers<\/span><\/a> have left the industry, making it even more challenging for builders to staff up. Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma just exacerbated the problem. Project timelines that were previously estimated at one to two months are now growing to four months and beyond. Even though new projects hit a $1 trillion spending mark last November, it seems the available workforce can\u2019t keep up with demand\u2014hindering the residential construction industry&#8217;s current boom.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-939 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/VR-UnderBridge-Inset-Image-Sm-300x238.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"238\" srcset=\"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/VR-UnderBridge-Inset-Image-Sm-300x238.jpg 300w, http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/VR-UnderBridge-Inset-Image-Sm-768x610.jpg 768w, http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/VR-UnderBridge-Inset-Image-Sm.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><span class=\"s1\">Jason Vetterick, Vice President of Construction Markets at Airgas, said, \u201cThis is an issue that has been going on for several years and has only worsened as those able to work have been displaced.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Education is Key<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">It might sound bleak\u2014but it doesn\u2019t have to be. To address the skilled labor shortage in Houston and across the country, companies are going to have to do more than just find skilled labor\u2014they are going to have to create it. With vocational schools disappearing, for-profit organizations must fill the gap with instructional programs that include on-the-job training.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cWe\u2019re seeing a lot of companies implementing training programs, as well as expanding on those already in place, so there are more workers ready and available to meet demand,\u201d Vetterick continued.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>New Opportunities for All<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">With the promise of on-the-job&nbsp;training and increased wages, it\u2019s never been a better time to transition into a career in construction. After all, increased education brings a surge of opportunity. The talent pipeline might look as though it\u2019s running thin, with the average worker in their mid-50s and the younger generation <a href=\"https:\/\/formaspace.com\/articles\/manufacturing\/get-younger-generations-interested-in-manufacturing-careers\/\"><span class=\"s2\">tending to eschew jobs<\/span><\/a> in manufacturing. Increased wages across the country have certainly served to make these positions much more attractive. But it\u2019s not just about the money. Young workers today are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weforum.org\/agenda\/2016\/07\/this-is-what-millennials-look-for-in-a-job\/\"><span class=\"s3\">looking for opportunities <\/span><\/a>to progress\u2014and this field definitely isn\u2019t lacking in mobility. Over time, workers can build their own ladder to success, advancing to positions like superintendent, project manager, supervisor or foreman. Some even go on to start their own businesses. <\/span><\/p>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>The Future is Now<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The solution to this problem isn\u2019t a quick fix and doesn\u2019t have to depend on human effort alone. The construction industry has begun to see the benefits of technology, using data to make more intelligent decisions about how they structure and staff their work sites. For example, firms are now employing <a href=\"http:\/\/www.digitaljournal.com\/business\/construction-industry-ready-for-take-off-with-drone-technology\/article\/513041\"><span class=\"s3\">drones<\/span><\/a> for mapping and surveying, and companies are <a href=\"https:\/\/phys.org\/news\/2018-01-robotics-technology-industry.html\"><span class=\"s3\">utilizing robots<\/span><\/a>, artificial intelligence, blueprint apps and construction management software. Additionally, <a href=\"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/is-modularity-poised-to-disrupt-the-construction-industry\/\"><span class=\"s3\">modularity<\/span><\/a> has also become an innovative way to make work sites more efficient. The innovation seems to know no limits and has enabled organizations to cut costs, increase productivity and shorten project lead time. In short, contractors are learning to do more with less.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Vetterick continued, \u201cContractors are finding ways to become more efficient, more productive and more effective at what they do. We\u2019re going to see more of these firms continuing to embrace data and analytics to not only help them be more competitive, but to draw more people to the industry\u2026The construction [industry] of tomorrow is going to be different than what the industry of today is. In other words, the future is here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Was this article helpful? &nbsp; &nbsp; Awesome, share it: Share Tweet Google Plus LinkedIn Thanks!Thanks for getting in touch with &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/who-will-rebuild-houston\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":940,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[424,671,386,705,513,699,163,686,702,689,701,690,190,221,704,199,700,139,698,703],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/938"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=938"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/938\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1987,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/938\/revisions\/1987"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/940"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=938"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=938"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=938"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=938"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}