Skilled craft professionals continue to earn high wages, according to NCCER’s 2018 Construction Craft Salary Survey. More than 130 industrial and commercial construction companies across the U.S., representing over 350,000 employees, participated in the survey. The individual craft areas reported provide average annual salaries, not including overtime, per diem, bonuses or other incentives.
During the last few years, the construction economy in North Carolina and South Carolina has been strong. As we head into 2019, trade wars, rising material prices, economic uncertainty, workforce shortages and numerous other factors could impact the industry in the Carolinas. The GroundBreak Carolinas staff is interested in your thoughts and feedback on the Carolinas' construction economy as we head into 2019. Whether you are an architect, engineer, contractor, owner, developer, supplier, professional services firm, or another party with a vested interest in the construction economy, we want your input.
What are your company’s biggest challenges? One of our biggest challenges, as with most companies, is people. There is always a balancing act of having the right people, the right number of people, and the right mix of people.
What change would you like to see in construction in the Carolinas? Greater emphasis on trade education with increased wage opportunity for the crafts people who are the backbone of our industry.
What are your company's biggest challenges? The common chorus we hear is the "skilled labor shortage," but there is a shortage of middle managers as well. The economic downturn 10 years ago has created a gap in talent in the 5-15 years experience window that has had a trickle-down effect. These employees now receive the most contact by recruiters, colleagues, job ads, and direct contact from companies. Subsequently, conversations about a job change have become "white noise" in the midst of this barrage. It is important for
companies to find a way to differentiate themselves from the rest in this hyper-competitive labor market.
What are your thoughts on the Carolina Construction economy in 2019? We are projecting growth in 2019, however at a noticeably slower growth rate than we have seen over the last few years. Even so the Carolinas
will still outpace National averages fueled by population growth and a relatively friendly business climate. The growth on a real basis (net of inflation) is being choked a bit by rising costs in construction inputs including materials, wages and lost productivity as reliance on less experienced or unskilled labor has increased in the current environment. This will continue into next year. Currently backlogs are generally healthy and 2019 should be another good year for everyone, but top lines for most companies will likely start to level out as the lack of available labor in concert with macro-economic factors will be a governor on growth.
Associated Builders and Contractors reports that its Construction Backlog Indicator contracted to 9.04 months during the third quarter of 2018, down 8.4 percent from the second quarter and 4.3 percent lower than the same time last year. Read More
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on the Environment (COTE®) is releasing a new tool that can help architecture firms design high-performance building. The AIA COTE® Top Ten Toolkit presents curated, concise and effective strategies for achieving sustainable designs and provides criteria for evaluating a project after it is built. Applying the
kit’s resources during the design process allows for architects to obtain the tool’s full potential. Additionally, it can help start a dialogue that facilitates a more deeply integrated, visually rich design solution.
