Stevenson: The quality of work and productivity on a project is affected due to workers not being well trained and not having the skills to produce quality construction. This leads to longer schedules and work hours to compensate for mistakes that arise. The shortage also affects a subcontractor's ability to bid for projects in that they do not have enough people to take on projects.

GlobeSt.com: What do you think can be done to solve this shortage?

Stevenson: I am currently working with a group of industry professionals to promote the Construction Career Collaborative, known as C3, which is an alliance of socially responsible owners, contractors and specialty contractors created to positively address the issues facing the craft worker. Through industry sources, we have found that a large part of the shortage issue is due to a lack of owner participation. To combat this, we believe that it is paramount that owners demand contractors and subcontractors to provide a certain level of training before a craft worker is able to work on an owner's project. The industry needs to be committed to three principles – competitive wages and benefits, safety training and craft training, as absolutely necessary to attract, train and retain a verifiably qualified workforce.

GlobeSt.com: How are you and your company dealing with this situation?

Stevenson: McCarthy Building Companies supports the C3 imitative and provides training and educational opportunities for craft workers, but without an industry led effort to require contractors and subcontractors to train workers, the problem will continue to exist. With the current system, companies that do not invest in craft training end up being rewarded with projects because they have the lowest price, and in turn, the companies who take the time and money to invest in educating and training are penalized.

GlobeSt.com: Is this historic, or do these types of shortages tend to by cyclical?

Stevenson: The shortage is both cyclical and historic. The problem repeats itself historically, but it is a bigger issue at this time because the baby-boomer generation is beginning to retire and the industry has not been able to recruit the young workforce it needs to replace the old.