Nonprofit training workers to fill construction worker positions

ATLANTA - There’s a need for hundreds of thousands of skilled construction workers nationwide. One non-profit is working to fill those open positions here in Georgia.

Seventeen students are currently enrolled in the Construction Ready training program on the west side of Atlanta. Their 20-day free program will give students eight credentials and connect them with employers.

"I want to get into project management. Building big high rises is something I’ve been interested in doing for a long time," Zara Hughes said.

"It’s really fun, and you learn so much and it’s so wide open like there’s so much you can do in the industry. Me, personally, I’d like to do the plumbing," Michael Johnson added.

And the need for skilled workers is there. In fact, according to the Association of Builders and Contractors over half a million construction workers are needed this year across the country to keep up with growing demand.

In Georgia alone, there are over 8,000 construction positions open throughout the state.

"When we have a hiring fair where we invite employers to interview our students sometimes we can have anywhere from 10 to 15 employers they may have 50–60 jobs between them even for a small class of 10–15 students," Lead Site Manager Daniel Jean-Baptiste said.

The need will only grow as the current employee population ages out. The Association of Builders and Contractors says almost a quarter of construction workers right now are over the age of 55.

"They’re really looking for a new generation of construction workers as the older guys kind of phase out and so many new projects, especially here in Metro Atlanta," Jean-Baptiste explained.

The current group has about two weeks left in the program and the non-profit says 96% will have jobs by the end of the training.