Builders around Jackson say the work is there. The people aren't. Patrick O'Dowd, executive officer of the Jackson Area Home Builders Association, told WILX that his members "could build a lot more houses if they had more of a workforce," and that getting younger people interested in the trades is now a top priority (via WILX).
The station pointed to national numbers from the Alliance for America's Skilled Trades: nearly 1 in 4 skilled trade workers is 55 or older, and for every 100 workers the industry needs, only about 55 are coming into the pipeline.
That second figure comes from a report the alliance put out at the end of September. The group, founded this year by BlackRock, Carhartt, Ford and Google, projects about 1.7 million skilled trades openings a year through 2035 across 124 occupations, counting both new jobs and retirements, according to Ford. The National News Desk reported that the same study found fewer than half of apprenticeship starters finish, only about 29 of every 100 are working in a trade five years later, and only about a quarter of high school guidance counselors often recommend apprenticeships, compared with nearly 9 in 10 who often push four-year college.
O'Dowd's warning was broad: "it's gonna impact every community, every sector of the economy." He also brushed off the idea that software will fill the gap. "AI is probably not gonna replace the guy that's swinging the hammer," he said, adding that he expects skilled trade jobs to pay six figures as the AI boom keeps going.
Local employers told WILX the same story from their side. Casey Barratt, co-owner of CB Contracting, said the company is "always looking to bring in new people, get them trained." Celia Croff, who owns Great Lakes Generators, said demand in her business is climbing and that there are "a ton of opportunities to still have a successful life and career outside of getting a four-year degree."
The home builders group has been working the pipeline for a while. It has teamed up with the Jackson Area Career Center on a career fair connecting students with local builders and excavators, Fox 47 reported, where O'Dowd called the students "the kids that are going to fill tomorrow's jobs." The association also hosted a Trunk or Treat and Touch a Truck event in Jackson where kids got up close with concrete mixers and tow trucks.
Why it matters for Contractors
If you run a small crew in Jackson County, you already feel this. The practical move is to stop waiting for experienced hands to show up and start growing your own. The Jackson Area Career Center's construction trades program and the home builders association, at hbaofjacksonmichigan.com, are two local places to find students and get your company in front of them.
The national numbers also say something about keeping people once you hire them. If fewer than half of apprentices finish, a clear first year, a real mentor and a path to better pay may matter as much as recruiting. And when local builders say they could build more houses with more workers, the shop that solves its labor problem first gets the work.