Perkins Act a Step in the Right Direction for Construction Workforce Development
America is a land of opportunity, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the construction industry. It’s the classic American story where someone can start on the ground floor (literally) and work their way into a highly technical profession, or management, or entrepreneurship, or all the above.
Brian Gallagher
The challenge is connecting job seekers to those opportunities during a time of low unemployment and workforce shortages. Fortunately, the construction industry is collaborating with government and education across the country to address this critical issue.
In September of 2017, Congress overwhelmingly passed a reauthorization of the Perkins Act, which is designed to improve career and technical education (CTE) in the United States. Originally passed by Congress in 1984, the workforce development legislation reauthorizes and reforms the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. It will provide more Americans with the education and skills they need to compete for high-skilled, in-demand jobs in the construction and manufacturing fields. The new legislation is designed to ensure career and technical education is flexible enough to adapt to the needs of emerging industries.
On June 14th, 2018, the White House announced its efforts to encourage action in the US Senate to reauthorize the Perkins Act after months of stalled negotiations in a statement from Deputy White House Press Secretary Hogan Gidley.
“The important legislation benefits more than 11 million Americans across the country and is integral to the administration’s working families and work-force development agenda,” Gidley said.
CTE programs are a critical means of preparing students for successful careers by bridging the gap between high school and post-secondary education and training. Throughout recent history, our education system has focused more on preparing high school students for college, and less on vocational programs that can lead to rewarding careers in the skilled trades. In fact, many students are never exposed to careers in the skilled trades.
Meanwhile, the U.S. labor force has grown by more than 24 million workers in the past 10 years. That means the national jobless rate has gone down despite millions more people entering the workforce. That’s readily apparent in the construction industry. Construction added 228,000 workers between March 2017–18, and there’s more needed.
Earlier this year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated the number of current job openings in construction at nearly 200,000. A nagging labor shortage can lead to higher construction costs and longer times to complete projects. However, the issue is more than finding people to fill these necessary positions. They need to also be skilled.
According to recent reports by the Associated Builders and Contractors and Association of General Contractors, finding qualified workers is the biggest challenge facing the nation’s contractors and subcontractors. Since the last recession, millions have left the construction industry, millions more are approaching retirement, and the talent pipeline is dry.
So, how do we fill 200,000 jobs with the potential for significantly more openings on the way? The answer is a more robust workforce development effort by the public and private sector. The Perkins Act will help provide students with the exposure, education and skills they need to pursue high-paying and rewarding careers in construction.
A key feature of the new legislation is the ability of the states to have flexibility in using federal resources to developing programs that are tailored to the specific needs of companies in their communities. In addition, the legislation will improve alignment between in-demand jobs and learning opportunities through employer engagement and community partnerships. CTE programs will be focused on work-based learning programs, employability skills, and credentialing. Students can earn their post-secondary training, while working, through a registered apprenticeship or craft training programs, and avoid student loans and high debt.
While the construction industry strives to meet the needs of a growing national economy, there’s more to be done. The Perkins Act reauthorization is an important step towards improving workforce development in the U.S. and there’s a role for all stakeholders in the process. We encourage you to reach out to your Senator and tell them why they should vote to reauthorize the Perkins Act.
Brian Gallagher is Vice President, Marketing, for O’Neal, Inc. O’Neal is an integrated design and construction firm based in Greenville, SC. Brian can be reached at bgallagher@onealinc.com.
