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Apprenticeships Can Build Construction’s Future Workforce - Arcoro

Written by Erin Sandage | Nov 19, 2024 8:00:14 AM

In 2015, when the program began, there were 360,000 active apprentices and that’s increased significantly to 660,000 today. During that time period, 

  • Nearly 23,000 new Registered Apprenticeship programs created by industry partners, a 31% increase. 
  • Over 2.3 million new apprentices, an 80% increase, including underrepresented populations such as women, people of color, youth (16 –24), individuals with disabilities and veterans. 
  • Strong growth across all industries. While construction apprenticeships have reached an all-time high of over 332,000, more than 333,000 apprentices have joined less traditional fields, including nearly 70,000 in manufacturing. 

Take advantage of NAW and the resources offered because construction employers now more than ever need to embrace what apprenticeships can do for the future of the industry. 

What is a Registered Apprenticeship?

Registered Apprenticeships are simply apprenticeship programs that are industry-vetted, approved and validated by the US Department of Labor (DOL) or a State Apprenticeship Agency. Apprenticeships help employers develop high-quality career paths for their workers. Registered Apprenticeships involve paid work experience, progressive wage increases, classroom instruction and portable, nationally recognized credentials. 

How Apprenticeships can Help Construction

The construction industry has been struggling to fill positions with qualified candidates for years. Some reasons for the shortage include, 

  • Baby Boomers, who made up a large number of construction employees, retired in mass during the pandemic and all Baby Boomers will be retired by 2030. 
  • Unemployment is still low. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in October 2024 that unemployment rates were at 4.1%. 
  • The number of young people entering trades has been steadily decreasing for decades. In 2023, 61.4% of high school graduates, aged 16 to 24, were enrolled in colleges or universities, according to the BLA. 

Apprenticeships can help rebuild the industry’s workforce with workers who are highly trained and motivated to develop a career in construction. Registered Apprenticeships are also a proven and industry-driven training model that improves diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) in the workplace. More and more construction employers are learning just what apprenticeships can do for the industry. 

Thousands of employers in the construction industry across the US use the Registered Apprenticeship training model to recruit, train and retain workers with the right skills. Through Registered Apprenticeship, employers can: 

  • Recruit and develop a diverse and highly skilled workforce. 
  • Improve productivity, profitability, and the company’s bottom line. 
  • Create flexible, customized training options. 
  • Standardize training so all workers receive the same national, industry-endorsed training at all facilities. 
  • Reduce turnover and liability costs. 
  • Receive tax credits and employee tuition benefits in participating states.  

Registered apprenticeships are available for a range of specialties: 

  • Bricklayers 
  • Carpenters 
  • Electricians 
  • Plumbers 
  • Operating Engineers and Equipment Operators 
  • Cement Masons 
  • Painters 
  • Sheet Metal Workers 
  • Roofers 
  • Insulators 
  • Ironworkers 
  • Boilermakers 
  • Elevator Constructors 

Registered Apprenticeships could be the perfect solution to the current worker shortage. 

How to Learn More About Registered Apprenticeship Programs

The Office of Apprenticeship offers resources to help take advantage of the exposure National Apprenticeship Week gives to Registered Apprenticeship programs. These resources include: 

  • A NAW 2024 Planning Toolkit 
  • Guide to Hosting a Virtual Event 
  • NAW Promotion Toolkit 
  • NAW event mailers and flyers 
  • Word templates to issue a NAW proclamation 
  • Downloadable logos and fact sheets 

The Office of Apprenticeship suggests construction employers partner with them or a respective state agency to access a nationwide network of expertise, customer service and support.   

Apprenticeships are a great way to strengthen today’s construction workforce and ensure it stays strong in the future. Visit Apprenticeship.gov to learn more about how you can get involved in National Apprenticeship Week. 

HR tech can also help boost your efforts to gain more apprentices.  

Arcoro’s ATS can list your apprenticeship opportunity on multiple job boards, whether they’re construction-specific, like Procore’s job board, or general, like Indeed. The ATS can also create custom applications that glean information needed specifically for apprenticeship positions like areas of interest, desired location, graduation date and/or college or trade program.   

Instead of pointing an applicant to your existing application, you can point them directly to a custom application that not only provides the information you need but is easily trackable. This is especially useful during job fairs and career days where applicants can use a QR code you create to access applications directly.   

Because the ATS tracks all applicants, it provides data that allows users to create their own talent pool, from which they can search candidates by interest or simply maintain contact with previous strong applicants. The data Arcoro’s ATS provides also gives insight into the best places to recruit and any Affirmative Action details that need to be reported on for certain programs.  

Learn more by reading this blog. 
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