More Young Adults Interested in the Construction Trades, but Challenges Persist

A new study conducted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reveals that more young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 are interested in the construction trades but more work needs to be done to educate the public that there are increasing opportunities for rewarding, lucrative careers in the skilled trades.

The new research is similar to a study conducted in 2016. The NAHB survey found that the share of young adults interested in a career in the construction trades doubled from 3% a decade ago to 6% today. The two most important benefits young adults see in a career in the trades are good pay (73%) and the ability to obtain useful skills (65%).

With the nation facing a shortage of roughly 1.2 million housing units, closing the housing deficit will necessarily entail recruiting younger workers willing to start careers in construction trades. NAHB estimates the industry will need 2.2 million new skilled construction workers over the next three years to keep up with demand and account for industry expansion, retirements and departures.

“While this new research shows that more young adults have a positive attitude toward a career in the construction trades, many are still unaware that careers in the building trades offer workers well paid jobs and opportunities for growth in one of the most in-demand industries in the nation,” said NAHB Chairman Bill Owens, a home builder and remodeler from Worthington, Ohio. “High schools need to stress that the skilled trades are a viable alternative to four-year colleges that can pay above median wages and serve as a launching pad for small business development.”

Policymakers at all levels of government can help in this endeavor by supporting funding for building and construction trades education and providing more placement services to job seekers, Owens added. NAHB supports the CONSTRUCTS Act, bipartisan legislation pending in the U.S. House and Senate that will address the severe labor shortage in the construction industry by helping to prepare young adults for fulfilling careers in construction and other essential trades.

The survey further reveals that 30% of young adults undecided about a future career path would likely give the trades a second look if compensation were high enough. Only 18% would have done so a decade ago. This shift points to a measurable improvement in young adults’ attitudes towards the construction trades over the last 10 years, where willingness to enter the field increases with higher levels of compensation.

Half of payroll workers in construction earn more than $60,320, and the top 25% make at least $81,510, according to the latest May 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and analysis by NAHB. In comparison, the U.S. median annual pay is $49,500, while the top quartile (the highest paid 25%) makes at least $78,810.

In a key finding for the home building industry, the NAHB survey found that 52% of undecided adults aged 18 to 25 who in theory would not choose a career in the trades would in fact reconsider that position for the right paycheck. That figure is at least $90,000 for 32% of this group and $60,000 to $80,000 for the other 20%. There are 12 construction occupations whose median annual wages already meet or exceed that threshold.

“If we are to meet the housing needs of a growing population, now, more than ever, providing opportunities for students to learn a craft that will produce well-paying and life-long career opportunities must be a top priority,” said Owens.

View the full study on young adults and the construction trades here.