BOISE, Idaho — The rapid growth in the Treasure Valley is at an all-time high. Construction cranes are everywhere, whether that's downtown or on the outskirts of Boise, Meridian, and Nampa.
All of that construction is making it hard for some contractors to find the skilled labor they so desperately need.
Tommy Alhquist is one such contractor. “What [all] that [construction] does is it just takes all the skilled labor and workforce that is here," explained Alhquist. He continued by saying that high demand for skilled labor translates to higher wages, making it hard for contractors like Alhquist to compete with companies like Micron and Facebook, who pay some workers over $50/hour.
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Molly Johnson, Director of Workforce Development with Idaho Associated General Contractors, says we as a community need to solve this issue. “Not everybody wields a shovel in the construction industry, we need everything from apprentices to journeymen to laborers to human resource officers to CEO’s to managers— the whole gamut.”
One of the things we don’t talk about enough is how a lot of older journeymen are retiring and getting out of the workforce completely. Ultimately, contractors and builders must recruit and retain younger, skilled workers.
I spoke with high school students recently at a job fair, and they are eager to learn new skills. One Ontario High School student said this. “Right now, I really like welding, but I’m also thinking about getting into plumbing or [becoming] an electrician.”
Another Borah High student says they are considering which trade best fits their skills. “I have a few options right now. I’m thinking between construction, concrete, or welding.”
Those high schoolers and dozens of others came to Home Depot recently to listen to local companies pitch why learning a trade is a good career path. Joe Maloney, the President of the Idaho AFL-CIO, agrees. Maloney says the majority of the workers at both the Micron expansion project and Meta are union workers.
“The electricians in the union are making close to 90,000 dollars a year, fitters are making the same thing, so we’re up to 90,000 sometimes 100,00 depending on where you work, overtime it’s a great career and it’s a great path to having a solid family and family life— if that’s what you want to do.”
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Maloney assured me there are plenty of union and non-union jobs out there right now.
Tyler Resnick, Executive Vice President at McAlvain Companies, agrees that we need to encourage young men and women to learn the trades. He also said it's crucial to take care of the tradesmen and women who move in from out of state. “So, every time I see craft workers coming in out of state for big projects, generally speaking, they want to stay, it’s how do we find a way to help them stay and become a part of our community and be successful here long term.”
Alhquist is a big supporter of Governor Little’s LAUNCH program that encourages teenagers to learn new skills, but he and other major contractors already have programs to attract young workers. “We started a non-profit called Teams to Trade, and we raise money every year [for] a couple of events. We donate that money to things that attract teens into the trades— welding, HVAC, electrical, and plumbing.”
Molly Johnson put it this way. “When a contractor comes to me and says, 'I really need...' whatever it might be, you [must] be prepared to train them. They may not come to you with the training you expect, so you need to step up [and] help them be successful in a new career.”
Johnson is quick to point out that although she grew up in a construction family, she went on to college. It all comes down to giving our high school students more pathways to success.
Resnick agrees that it's better to give students more options after they graduate. “Not everybody is going to put on a suit and tie and go to work every day. Somehow, some way, we've got to get all these things [to] build, and it takes people to do that.”
