August 2022 City Scoop: Houston
City Grill
Jeffrey Nielsen
President
ABC Greater Houston
“The construction industry seems to be doing fine, but that also varies depending upon who you ask,” Nielsen says. “On the plus side, the continued population growth in the Houston region, the return to in-office work post-COVID by many employers and the steady flow of work from the industrial sector have all combined to keep the industry moving at a healthy pace.”
But Nielsen notes there are still supply chain issues that plague the industry which will continue for the foreseeable future.
“Concerns over the economy and the looming recession have many companies taking a more conservative approach to their finances and pulling back on plans for expansion,” he adds. “Workforce is a consistent problem within our industry. Employees are difficult to find, even though our industry is paying the highest wages for entry-level employees.”
AGC Houston’s new HireSMART program is one effort aimed at attracting future project managers, superintendents and craft workers by engaging and developing underrepresented communities.
“Weighing all of this together, I feel that the industry is still in a position of positive growth, despite all the negatives,” he says.
