Every industry has something in common – they all need human beings to get the job done. Even in the face of AI (Artificial Intelligence), with its recent advances and headline-making developments, skilled human beings are a key component somewhere in the process of delivering goods and services.
Nationally, however, skilled employees are hard to find across all industries, including construction. In fact, according to a recent study published by the Associated General Contractors of America, 91 percent of construction companies reported difficulty in filling positions. The gap between the number of specific skilled workers available and the need for them is only expected to widen over the next several years.
To address this challenge, construction companies must broaden the diversity of their applicant pools. Companies must be open and creative in their perception of how non-traditional talents and skills can be used in construction. For example, an article published recently by an Australian construction company illustrates how people with a background in video game development may have transferrable skills that can be used for construction visualization and planning. That article, which is posted on Inside DBM Vircon, does not purport that a strategy such as this will be without challenges. But if there is one thing construction companies know and understand, it is challenge. And the construction company that invests in the creation of innovative pathways into the industry, may find their company evolving in new ways that are well worth the challenge.