Construction Inclusion Week: Recognizing the Need for Diversity in the Construction Industry

Construction Inclusion Week: Recognizing the Need for Diversity in the Construction Industry

Construction Inclusion Week is October 16-20, 2023, and the need for a diversity of additional skilled trades workers is critical. At the Rudolph Libbe Group, we host or participate in a variety of events designed to get young people thinking about careers in construction. A lucrative option, the average salary for a construction worker is over $60,000. There are more than 217,000 open construction jobs in Ohio and the state is projected to add 22,000 jobs by 2026. In addition, many construction industry leaders often start in skilled trades, gaining increased responsibility over the length of their career. We encourage everyone in our industry to educate and inspire young people to join us.

RLG recently participated in the Toledo chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction’s (NAWIC) BIG event, which encourages girls to consider construction careers. Every summer we host students from the Toledo Public Schools’ Manufacturing and Design Experience camp. We recently participated at an event hosted by the Carpenters Joint Activities Training Center in Rossford to encourage an apprenticeship program in the trades as an alternative to a four-year college degree.

Oct. 16-20 marks Construction Inclusion Week — and the need for diversity within the trades is compelling. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2020 women comprise nearly 10 percent of the construction workforce today. According to NAWIC, women in the U.S. overall earn on average 82.9% of what men make in similar jobs. In construction, there is less disparity, with women earning 95.5% of what men make, NAWIC says.

Non-Hispanic whites made up nearly 61 percent of the workforce in 2020. Non-Hispanic blacks made up 5.1 percent of the construction workforce (compared with 11.8 percent of the total workforce) with Hispanics making up 30 percent of the construction workforce, according to BLS.

There’s room for everyone and no better time for a young person to consider a challenging, satisfying and well-paying construction career. The share of construction workers 55 or older increased to 22.3%, while workers 25 and younger account for just 10% of the construction workforce – this is a huge opportunity for young people from all backgrounds to make plans about their future.

 

Students should talk to their high school guidance counselors about the benefits a career in construction can bring. For more information, check out ibuildthe419.com