AGC survey: More than 90% of NC contractors
having trouble filling skilled craft positions
North Carolina Construction News staff writer
More than nine in 10 North Carolina contractors re-
port they are having “a hard time filling some or all po-
sitions” for construction tradespeople, according to a
survey from the Associated General Contractors (AGC)
of America and
Autodesk. The story for salaried positions is a little less severe
— with 73 percent saying they are having trouble filling
openings, but that discrepancy is explained by the fact
that many contractors simply don’t need more salaried
workers right now.
2019 Workforce Survey Results
North Carolina Results
Total responses: 33, but number varies by question. Percentages are based on responses other than “Don’t know”
for each question.
1. In the next 12 months, do you expect your firm will hire additional or replacement:
Yes, for expansion
100% 90%
80% The sample size isn’t huge — only 33 — but the data
suggests only six percent of contractors are having “no
difficulty in filling any positions.”
The AGC data suggests that the labor shortage in
North Carolina is sightly more severe than the nation as
a whole at 80 percent.
AGC officials said the industry was taking a range of
steps to address the situation but called on federal offi-
cials to takes steps to assist those industry efforts.
4 — AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019 — The North Carolina Construction News
23% 25%
25% 24%
7% 70%
60% 31%
36% 50%
40% The detailed 2019 AGC workforce
survey results for North Carolina
No 3%
30% 72%
70% 20%
45% 39%
10% 0%
Hourly craft personnel
Hourly office personnel
Salaried field personnel
Salaried office personnel
2. How would you describe your current situation in filling salaried and hourly craft positions?
91% We are having a hard time filling some or all
positions 73%
6% 6%
We are having no difficulty filling any positions
3% We have no openings for positions
21% 0%
10% 20%
Craft 30%
Salaried 40%
50% 60%
70% 80%
90% 100%
“Workforce shortages remain one of the single
most significant threats to the construction industry,”
said Stephen E. Sandherr, AGC’s chief executive offi-
cer. “However, construction labor shortages are a
challenge that can be fixed, and this association will
continue to do everything in its power to make sure
that happens.”
Nationally, of the nearly 2,200 survey respondents,
80 percent said they are having difficulty filling hourly
craft positions, Sandherr said. All four regions of the
country are experiencing similarly severe craft worker
shortages, with 83 percent of contractors in the West
and South reporting a hard time filling hourly craft po-
sitions, almost identical to the 81 percent rate in the
Midwest and 75 percent rate in the Northeast.
In North Carolina, the data indicates two-thirds (66
percent) of contractors say they are having trouble fill-
ing positions for project managers and supervisors,
while 45 percent say there are difficulties in finding
quality control personnel and 39 percent report chal-
lenges in recruiting Environmental compliance profes-
sionals. Among trades, there is a 100 percent shortage of
pipelayers, iron workers, drywall installers and brick-
layers, while several other trades and crafts also in ex-
tremely short supply. The only categories reporting
less than 50 percent hiring difficulty are millwrights
and traffic control personnel.
Most contractors report that they expect it will ei-
ther continue to be hard to find workers, or even more
difficult than before. Contractors report the pipeline
for adequately trained skilled workers is poor, with 55
percent saying it is inadequate.
Disturbingly, 34 percent report there are problems
with workers being able to pass drug tests, and 30
percent say they are having difficulties with back-
ground checks.
In response to the labor shortage, 88 percent of
North Carolina’s surveyed contractors have raised pay
rates for craft workers in the past year. They are also
engaging with career building programs (64 percent),
using staffing firms (45 percent) and engaging with
government workforce development or \unemploy-
ment agencies (33 percent) among other measures.
Nationally, Autodesk says contractors are also
working to increase productivity.
“Construction workforce shortages are prompting
many firms to innovate their way to greater productiv-
ity,” said Allison Scott, head of construction integrated
marketing at Autodesk. “As the cost of labor continues
to increase and firms look to become even more effi-
cient, technology can enable better collaboration and
ultimately lead to more predictable outcomes. There
is also opportunity in untapped pools of talent such as
tradeswomen, veterans, and young people looking for
an alternative to the traditional four-year university.”
Scott noted that 29 percent of firms report they are
investing in technology to supplement worker duties.
One-fourth of firms report they are using cutting-edge
solutions, including drones, robots and 3-D printers.
Meanwhile, 23 percent of firms report they are taking
steps to improve jobsite performance by relying on
lean construction techniques, using tools like Building
Information Modeling and doing more off-site prefab-
rication. Even as the industry works to address labor short-
ages, 44 percent of firms report they are increasing
construction prices and 29 percent are putting longer
completion times into their bids for new work be-
cause of the lack of workers, putting future develop-
ment and infrastructure projects at risk.
Association officials called on the federal govern-
ment to boost funding for career and technical educa-
tion. They also called on federal leaders to allow more
immigrants to enter the country to work in construc-
tion, let construction students at community and ca-
reer colleges qualify for federal Pell Grants, and make
it easier for firms to establish apprenticeship and
other training programs.
One reason for their worries is that contractors are
skeptical of the quality of the pipeline for recruiting
and preparing new craft personnel. Nationally, 45 per-
cent say the local pipeline for preparing well-trained
and skilled workers is poor. And 26 percent say the
pipeline for finding workers who can pass a drug test
is poor.
The North Carolina Construction News — AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019 — 5