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Building Opportunities Initiative Final Report Available
Port Jobs Reports, Spring 1999
The Building Opportunities Initiative final report is now available. The result of a
joint research effort by Port Jobs, the Worker Center AFL-CIO, and the University of
Washington’s Northwest Policy Center, the report examines the supply and demand for
skilled construction workers in the Puget Sound region and the implications for
the region’s training systems. Printed copies can be obtained by calling
or e-mailing Port Jobs at 206-728-3883 or portjobs@portseattle.org.
The full report can also be downloaded from Port Jobs’ website at http://www.portjobs.org.
The executive summary from the report is provided below.
Executive Summary
Construction is expected to grow in the Puget Sound region over the next several
years, as major construction projects - such as Sound Transit, the new Mariner's
and Seahawk's stadiums, and the third runway at Seattle Tacoma International
Airport - are built. Along with this growth will come increased demands
for skilled workers from outside the region or preparing community residents,
particularly women, people of color, and the economically disadvantaged,
for these jobs - is a critical issue.
Port Jobs, the Worker Center of the King County Labor Council,
AFL-CIO, and the Northwest Policy Center at the University of Washington Graduate
School of Public Affairs teamed up - with support from the Seattle Jobs Initiative,
the Northwest Area Foundation, the Seattle King County Private Industry Council,
and the German Marshall Fund of the U.S. - to examine the demand for and
supply of skilled construction workers, and the implications for the
existing pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship system.
The team's efforts were guided by three key questions:
- What's the projected demand for journey workers and apprentices in the
building and construction trades in the Puget Sound region over the
next three to five years?
- What's the capacity of the existing pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship
system to respond to this demand?
- What are the gaps, and how can they be filled?
Specific tasks included analyzing the overall structure and nature of the construction
sector in the Puget Sound region, tallying major construction projects in the
region that are already underway or in the pipeline, developing a three to five year
forecast of demand, mapping the existing pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship system,
conducting surveys of apprentices, conducting focus groups with apprentices and apprenticeship
coordinators, conducting a study tour of apprenticeship and vocational training systems
in Germany and Denmark, assessing gaps in the existing pre-apprenticeship and
apprenticeship system and developing strategies to fill theses gaps,
and bringing stakeholders together to discuss these strategies to fill these gaps,
and bringing stakeholders together to discuss these strategies and help identify next steps.
Findings
Demand for construction workers is projected to continue to grow over the next several years,
the result of increased construction activity and an aging construction workforce.
Projections show that demand for construction workers in the Puget Sound region -
which covers King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties - will grow by 7,000 to 10,000 over
the three year period from mid-1998 to mid-2001, and an additional 5,000 to 7,000 workers
over the subsequent five year period from mid-2001 to mid-2006, as a result of
increased construction activity. Unlike past booms in construction, the current
boom is marked by:
- a significant number of large scale projects already underway or in the pipeline;
- a healthy economy in other regions of the country, which limits the extent
to which in-migration can be relied upon to meet the demands for construction workers; and
- an aging workforce, which will increase demand for construction workers as a higher
than average number of workers retire.
Attrition due to higher than average retirements is projected to create demand for an
additional 1,000 to 1,500 workers over the next three year period and 3,700 to
4,700 workers over the subsequent five year period.
In summary, demand for construction workers will continue to grow over the next three years,
as a result of increased construction activity. After that, employment growth will
slack off, but will almost be offset by increased attrition due to higher than average
retirements. In addition to this extraordinary demand for construction
workers will be the normal need to replace those workers who leave their jobs for reasons
other than retirement such as changing occupations and leaving the workforce.
This will create demand for an additional 6,300 workers over the next three year period and
10,400 over the subsequent five year period.
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Projected Demand for Construction Workers in Puget Sound:
Employment Growth & Higher Retirements
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It is important to note that these projections cover all construction, not just those
industry segments, firms, or trades and crafts for which the apprenticeship system
prepares people. For example, heavy and commercial construction are generally
served by the apprenticeship system, while other segments such as residential
construction are not. Likewise, firms covered by collective bargaining
agreements are served by the apprenticeship system, while those without generally are not.
The region's apprenticeship system has the capacity to expand to meet growing demand for
skilled construction workers. However, the capacity of existing pre-apprenticeship
training programs to produce greater numbers of qualified applicants for apprenticeship
programs is more limited.
The region's apprenticeship system is made up of 29 apprenticeship programs in the building
and construction trades. The 11 largest of these programs serve about 3,500
apprentices each year (based on first quarter 1998 figures), and could add another
1,500 if demand were to increase. Apprenticeship programs combine structured
on-the-job training, supervised by journey workers, with classroom instruction, and are
pathways to high wage, high skill jobs in the trades. Apprentices earn while they
learn their trade over a three to five year period. Apprenticeship programs
are administered by Joint Apprenticeship Training Committees (JATCs), made up of equal
numbers of employer and worker representatives in the specific trade or craft.
Pre-apprenticeship training programs in Seattle-King County serve about 1,000
participants a year. Most serve target populations such as women, people of color,
youth, and the economically disadvantaged. Some focus on preparing participants
for apprenticeships and jobs in the trades and crafts; others focus on general work
preparation and trade related jobs. Pre-apprenticeship programs provide a
combination of basic skills, job readiness, trade specific training, and a range of support
services. Fewer than one third of pre-apprenticeship training program graduates
enter the apprenticeship system. Only a small percentage of apprentices
come into the apprenticeship system from pre-apprenticeship training; most come from working
in construction.
Total Projected Demand for Construction Workers
in Puget Sound, 1998 - 2006
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1998 - 2001 |
2001 - 2006 |
| Growth due to Increased Construction Activity |
8,500 |
6,000 |
| Attrition due to higher than average retirements |
1,250 |
4,175 |
| Replacement needs |
6,270 |
10,450 |
| Total Projected Demand |
6,020 |
20,625 |
| Annual Projected Demand |
5,340 |
4,125 |
There are a number of gaps in the pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship system,
which affect its ability to meet the growing demand for construction workers.
These include:
- a lack of sufficient connection between pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs,
which negatively affects the ability of pre-apprenticeship programs to produce qualified
applicants for apprenticeship programs;
- an uncertain funding environment, which limits the ability of pre-apprenticeship
programs to serve as a pipeline of qualified applicants for apprenticeship programs;
- a decentralized apprenticeship system, which can be difficult to understand and
navigate; and
- a difficulty recruiting and retaining women and people of color, especially women of color.
Recommendations
Recommendations include:
- Conduct construction sector supply and demand forecasts on an ongoing basis,
so the pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship system can plan ahead to meet the demand
for skilled construction workers.
- Improve information and data collection and analysis efforts on the apprenticeship
system so apprenticeship programs have better information available on the number of
apprentices who complete their apprenticeships or drop out prior to completion.
- Examine issues limiting growth of the apprenticeship system
(e.g., the capacity of community and technical colleges to provide classroom based instruction).
- Examine and develop other feeders into the apprenticeship system, in addition to
pre-apprenticeship training programs (e.g., pathways from working in construction
and other sectors, education and training programs, and informal networks among
friends and family).
- Strengthen the connections between pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs.
Options include:
• adopt best practice as part of pre-apprenticeship
training programs (e.g., job readiness and soft skills training, orientation to
the construction industry, work-based learning opportunities,
physical conditioning, and direct links to JATCs);
• develop pathways from pre-apprenticeship training programs into apprenticeship
programs such as direct entry, helper positions, and credit for prior learning and
work experience;
• have apprenticeship programs develop and operate their own
pre-apprenticeship training programs, in coordination with existing
pre-apprenticeship programs that incorporate best practice and community
organizations working to increase the representation of women and people of color in the
trades; and/or
• integrate pre-apprenticeship training into apprenticeship programs.
Fund pre-apprenticeship training programs incorporating best practice, so they have the
capacity to serve as feeders into apprenticeship programs.
- Examine additional sources of funding for pre-apprenticeship training
programs (e.g., pre-apprenticeship and/or apprentice- ship trusts, school-to-work
and welfare-to-work programs, and the K-12 system).
- Develop and implement among apprenticeship programs a shared approach to
recruitment, marketing, applications, and waiting lists.
- Provide apprentices a multi-trades orientation at the start of their apprenticeship.
- Spell out clearly the roles and responsibilities of JATC coordinators,
supervisors, and others vis-a-vis apprentices.
- Examine the feasibility of creating a separate dispatch system for apprentices.
- Develop other strategies for recruiting women and people of color,
in addition to pre-apprenticeship training programs.
- Market the construction industry, building and construction trades,
and apprenticeship system to young people, parents, educators, adults already in
the labor market, employment and training providers, and others in the community.
- Develop and fund strategies to serve applicants who are apprentice ready,
except for a single barrier that can and needs to be addressed
(e.g., limited English proficiency, lack of a driver's license, and unpaid traffic fines).
- Address work culture issues (e.g., hazing and discrimination).
- Provide apprentices with the support services they need to enter and complete their
apprenticeships (e.g., child care, transportation, and income support).
- Increase support available to apprentices (e.g., journey worker and apprentice
mentors, and support groups).
- Improve information and data collection and analysis efforts on the apprenticeship
system so there is better information available on the number of women and people of
color who complete their apprenticeships or drop out prior to completion.
The Building Opportunities Initiative highlights the continued growing demand for
skilled construction workers in the region and the opportunity this presents.
It also identifies gaps in the existing pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship system that
limit the ability of community residents - particularly women, people of color,
and the economically disadvantaged - to take advantage of these opportunities and
recommends ways to fill these gaps. Already, discussions are underway
among system partners about strengthening connections between pre-apprenticeship and
apprenticeship programs, developing other feeders into apprenticeship programs,
and creating a single application for apprenticeship programs.
It is critical that we, as a community, work together to make sure the opportunity to
connect community residents to skilled construction jobs, for which there is growing demand,
is not lost.
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