TEXAS — Despite a steady increase in construction projects across the state, the Texas Workforce Commission says there are still more than 17,100 jobs that need to be filled. 

Fewer workers on job sites means builds can take longer and cost more, which isn’t ideal to keep up with the rapid growth across the state.

Industry leaders say there is a need for investment in training and changing perceptions about the skilled trades. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the residential construction industry is 250,000 jobs short of what is needed. The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) estimates a shortage of over 430,000 commercial workers.

Jim Tobin, CEO of the NAHB, attributes the shortage to the devaluation of trades since the 1970s and a lack of workforce development.

“The U.S. has put a premium on a four-year college degree and has really devalued the trades in our country,” said Tobin. “We have not built the infrastructure needed at the high school level or even earlier in life for kids to get interested in and be trained in the skilled trades.”

That gap is exactly what The Rosendin Foundation’s (TRF) Camp Build hopes to address with their week-long construction program.

TRF President Jolsna Thomas said that introducing students to hands-on construction is just the first step.

“This is how we fill it by finding and creating opportunity for boys and girls to learn about these things,” Thomas said.

Construction leaders say after battling labor shortages for decades, boosting the workforce will take time.