The construction industry is booming, especially in Central Florida, with projects popping up everywhere. However, there aren’t enough skilled construction workers to meet the growing demand.
The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), a national trade association representing thousands of construction workers, predicts the industry needs 439,000 additional workers in 2025 alone.
Michele Daugherty, CEO of ABC’s Central Florida chapter, told News 6 a big reason for the shortage is that older construction workers are retiring and there aren’t enough younger people entering the workforce.
“The industry is in a crisis right now,” she said. “Not only do we need to bring more people in, but we also need to get them experience and exposure faster than ever.”
For every three people retiring in the industry, just one is being hired, Daughtery said, which is why ABC is focused on attracting young people to the workforce.
The organization recently invited 100 teenagers to its Orlando office to showcase the different careers that are in high demand.
“We’re doing epic things in Central Florida,” Daugherty said. “We’re building amusement parks and hospitals and all of these things, and we want to show young folks all of the different careers and opportunities right here in Central Florida.”
The shortage, according to experts, is delaying projects and exacerbating the already high costs of construction.
But could sweeping immigration reform at the state and federal level make the shortage even deeper?
Orlando attorney Anthony Suarez thinks it will, adding, “It has to slow down.”
Suarez told News 6 most of his clients are undocumented immigrants who do drywall work, roofing, and other home construction projects.
“They’re working hard, they have good businesses, they pay their taxes, and they own land in real estate,” he explained. “They’re all petrified. They’re afraid.”
Immigrants account for 31% of all workers in construction trades across the country. In Florida, an estimated 38% of construction workers on foreign-born.
The National Association of Home Builders is on record saying, “Mass deportation is not the answer because any shock to the labor force would have an adverse impact on housing costs and supply.”
“Roofing is a very difficult job,” Suarez said. “It’s painful to be up there, and it’s hard to find Americans actually doing that job.”
Given the uncertainty surrounding the impact of new immigration laws, ABC’s efforts to engage more young people in the workforce are becoming increasingly important for the future of Central Florida.
“We have a lot of building to do,” Daugherty said. “Without us doing our job, there are no other careers. You can’t be a doctor if you have no hospital. You can’t be a bank unless you have a building.”
[Watch our previous Boomtown stories below]