Public, Private Agencies Focus on Diversifying the Infrastructure Workforce
Sebastian Obando, Construction Dive
Diversity programs, an equity index and increased recruitment efforts are among the tools that transportation agencies and other groups are using to improve diversity in the infrastructure workforce.
It’s imperative to attract employees from all backgrounds in order to help alleviate the current labor crunch. June construction employment in 39 states remained below the pre-pandemic peak of February 2020, according to an analysis of federal government data by the Associated General Contractors of America.
A major issue in the construction industry is a skilled workforce shortage, said Brian Turmail, vice president of public affairs and strategic initiatives at Associated General Contractors of America. For this reason, AGC is focusing on three approaches: recruitment, training and retention.