Construction Workers Wanted
If you have recently visited building sites in Bandon, Coos Bay, North Bend or elsewhere in Coos County, you may have seen an unusual number of old construction workers. What are all these old guys doing - did you just happen to visit on "Take Grandpa to Work Day" ? No, these are full-time construction workers: building foundations, finishing concrete, framing buildings, plumbing, electrical work, finishing drywall, welding, installing siding/windows/doors/decks, painting, operating large equipment, delivering materials and other jobs.
Why is this happening ?
A. Old men like to show how "manly" they are to younger workers.
B. Old men need the money, having burned through their savings during the recession.
C. Old men know more than younger workers (a fact they will share with you, repeatedly).
D. No one else wanted the job.
A. Old men like to show how "manly" they are to younger workers.
B. Old men need the money, having burned through their savings during the recession.
C. Old men know more than younger workers (a fact they will share with you, repeatedly).
D. No one else wanted the job.
The answer is "D". It is hard to find anyone to do this kind of work. We lost a lot of the workforce during the recession, when construction workers moved out of the area or went into other careers. They are not coming back to construction because of the uncertainty in the job market. At the same time, unions slowed down their apprenticeship programs and it takes years to train workers like plumbers and electricians.
We are also dealing with a change in attitude toward labor. Where once, tradesmen who worked with their hands were respected for their skill and value to the community, now these trades have been stigmatized as being jobs for those who fail at school. Young men are being pushed into getting a college degree instead of going to a vocational school, like they did years ago. But even those without college degrees are reluctant to do physical work. Now, when construction companies try to hire workers, we are hearing statements like the following:
"The work is too hard".
"I don't like getting dirty".
"The work is too hard".
"I don't like getting dirty".
There is nothing we can do about this: the work is hard and you will get dirty. Somehow, through-out thousands of years of human history, men were able to do hard physical labor. This no longer seems to be true, at least in this area. When given a choice, they want easy jobs - but sometimes it's the hard jobs that pay better. When you are doing a job that no one else wants, but is necessary (like home repairs), your skill will be in demand. As the supply of construction workers decreases and the demand for construction work increases, being a tradesman with skill can lead to having your own business or a good paying job later. There is opportunity here, but so few see it.
There is a strategy to solving the worker shortage: raise wages. At a certain point, with wages high enough, workers will come back to construction. And we are seeing the consequences of this happening all over the country: residential, commercial, government work - all cost more. This is a real problem. It will only get worse in the next few years and will have a serious effect on the building industry. Homeowners on a budget may find themselves priced out of the market; remodeling, repairs and new construction projects may become a luxury only a few can afford. (See Update to 2021 below)
The labor shortage may change in the future, as more jobs become automated, construction might become a good option again. But that point in the future could be decades from now. Until then, it's lucky we still have the old guys willing to do the hard work. When you see them on the job site - thank them for the contribution they have made to your community. Because when they are gone, who will do the work ?
UPDATE TO 2021
This article was written several years ago, even then we were experiencing a labor shortage. As we predicted, this problem is now severe. We haven't been able to hire any workers under the age of 40, even as we pay higher wages then almost any other residential Contractor in the County. The higher costs of labor (combined with increases in land and material costs) means houses are much more expensive then even a few years ago. The reality of the situation is this: many Homeowners that contact us do not have the budget to pay for the house that they want. We cannot help them, we have a small company and can only do so much.
This article was written several years ago, even then we were experiencing a labor shortage. As we predicted, this problem is now severe. We haven't been able to hire any workers under the age of 40, even as we pay higher wages then almost any other residential Contractor in the County. The higher costs of labor (combined with increases in land and material costs) means houses are much more expensive then even a few years ago. The reality of the situation is this: many Homeowners that contact us do not have the budget to pay for the house that they want. We cannot help them, we have a small company and can only do so much.