CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Construction companies are struggling to find workers.
According to a recent survey by Associated General Contractors of America, in North Carolina, 96% of the contractors surveyed said they had openings for hourly workers, and 100% said they were having a hard time finding people to fill the openings.
To keep up with the demand for new homes and building, the construction industry needs to hire more people. A Charlotte-based nonprofit is turning to women as the solution.
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“We all have to work together in some sort of way and really raise the tide of what is the next generation of workers going to look like," Marion Pulse, resource development manager for She Built This City, said.
Builders are facing two big challenges these days: a shortage of materials and a shortage of labor in all trades -- Pulse listed carpentry, electrical, HVAC, and plumbing, to name a few.
According to the survey by Associated General Contractors of America, jobs going unfilled are impacting the speed of projects being completed.
“It is probably slowing down the pace in which these companies want to keep up with because of the demand,” Pulse said.
Experts also point to older employees retiring and fewer young people wanting to work with their hands.
To help combat that problem, She Built This City trains women and girls for careers in the construction and trade industry. They're looking to bring in the next generation and help tackle the shortage.
“When we talk to these companies, they want women in these spaces, they tell us women are more detailed oriented, they’re ready to work, ready to learn, and we want to support that," Pulse said.
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She Built This City has been around for three years and just launched its full-time two-year apprenticeship, where women learn all the different trades. The nonprofit is currently running a campaign for donations to support those women; those interested in contributing can donate online or text w@wcrew at 44321.
Contact Lexi Wilson at lwilson@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.