Skilled Electrical Labor Issues in the Mid-Western United States

This research report aims to determine the status of the electrical workforce in the Midwest and identifying ways electrical contractors are overcoming challenges experienced with electrical skilled labor. The objectives of the report include evaluating contractors’ perspective on the electrical skilled workforce in the Midwest region, complete a literature review on this topic which includes identifying the current status, causes of the labor shortage in the industry, and potential solutions to the skilled labor shortage in the United States, and determine the methods which contractors are utilizing to become less dependent on the quality/quantity of skilled labor available. The strategy utilized to complete these objectives include conducting a literature review to determine the current state of knowledge on this topic, holding pilot interviews to obtain both qualitative and quantitative data on the status of the skilled electrical workforce, and generating a questionnaire to be provided to a larger population to enhance the level of confidence in the previous findings. The literate review revealed a disconnect between the root cause of the skilled labor shortage and the steps the industry is taking to alleviate it. The construction industry must overcome challenges imposed by industry image and a push for all young adults to attend college. Attracting a younger and more diverse workforce is a primary solution to overcoming a skilled labor shortage. The pilot interviews on the status of the electrical workforce uncovered six main themes affecting the current workforce which includes demand, quality, age, materials, technology, and alternative labor. The questionnaire, developed from these six main themes, verified the need for additional research on this topic as many of the responses received were split 50-50 on these themes. Contractors are concerned about the number of skilled workers due to retire and it’s not since they will need to be replaced, but rather the amount of skill and experience which is being lost. Younger skilled labor is perceived to be incompetent in working hard and completing quality work. © 2019 The Authors. Published by Budapest University of Technology and Economics & Diamond Congress Ltd. Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the Creative Construction Conference 2019.