Homebuilders have a big problem: too few workers!

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/home-b...165435453.html

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Housing starts are finally coming off their lows of barely a half a million in 2009, and are now surging quickly up in to a rate of around 800,000 annualized, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. While this is still about half the pace of a normal housing market, it still means builders are looking for workers, especially skilled workers.

"About two weeks ago we started getting calls, like 7 or 8 a day, and we've been asked to bring students to work sites," says Linda Thomas, an employment liaison for Job Corps. "They said look just bring them with their resumes, we've got work, we're pushing more contracts now. Business is doing well, building is doing extremely well in the area."

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Need a job? Construction just might be your thing. Pays well, plenty of work, and fairly easy to get in the business. Makes for a good job given the relatively low barriers to entry, potential career growth, and good pay.

As with anything, location, location, location. This is not indicative of construction in all regions.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by phill4paul

As with anything, location, location, location. This is not indicative of construction in all regions.

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That's the great thing about this country! So many different places to live and it's easy to move.

Gotta build more housing for all the Californians who have deposited themselves elsewhere after totally screwing their own state.

Not according to the latest numbers:

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Construction employment declined by 20,000 jobs in November while the industry's unemployment rate hit 12.2%, according to an analysis of new federal data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. The construction employment figures likely reflect the fact many contractors have already cut staff and delayed hiring new employees because of the threat of the “fiscal cliff,” according to results of a survey of member firms the association also released today.

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http://ecmweb.com/contractor/constru...-november-2012

The last time we went through a construction boom, workers went from having paid vacations and health insurance to speaking Spanish and not paying taxes. Demand went up, prices went up, and wages went down.

American workers got screwed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jordan

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/home-b...165435453.html



Need a job? Construction just might be your thing. Pays well, plenty of work, and fairly easy to get in the business. Makes for a good job given the relatively low barriers to entry, potential career growth, and good pay.

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ahem...

http://www.census.gov/construction/nrc/pdf/compann.pdf

quick look

these are completed constructions in 1000's

2006 - 1979.4
2007 - 1502.8
2008 - 1119.7
2009 - 794.4
2010 - 651.7
2011 - 584.9

make sure to look at the region, and make sure to look at dwelling typs SF vs MD. For instance, if you were in the northeast or midwest last year you completed less than 200k residential structures.

here is a link to the start data by comparison,

http://www.census.gov/construction/nrc/pdf/startsan.pdf

800k starts is paltry and anemic in a historical context.

I find it seriously hard to believe they can't find enough workers. More than likely, they can't afford professionals.



edit: and it kills me how they blame this on lack of skilled workers. Same excuse you hear for why the IT field hires H1Bs. No, its not lack of skill, its the ridiculous bullshit that corps put people through at their corporate policies, and paltry compensation and crap working conditions.