Attracting young men and women into construction will keep getting tougher: Government estimates put at least 1.8 million new skilled-trade workers in the field through 2014, and 61% will be needed just to replace retirees. Desperate for warm bodies to fill the gap, employers are trying new tactics—some mundane, some flashy—to lure candidates with mechanical skills.
A microcosm of this far-reaching labor problem stands out among equipment mechanics and diesel technicians, a hands-on field with 400,000 workers, yet contractors and dealers complain every year that they still need more. This shortage is having a profound impact on the bottom line, especially as the machines needing repair become more complex.