The Aging Workforce

A common theme in trade-industry reports is the "silver tsunami": a large share of skilled workers approaching retirement while fewer young people enter.

What the data says

According to the Current Population Survey published by BLS, the median age of workers in construction and extraction occupations is in the low forties, and roughly one in five construction workers is 55 or older. Some trades, such as electricians' and plumbers' supervisors and certain inspection jobs, skew older. The exact shares change year to year; the museum's data file keeps the current table.

Why it happened

Several forces combined: a long emphasis on four-year college for high-school graduates; cuts to high-school shop classes; the construction collapse of 2008–2011, when many workers left the industry and fewer apprentices were hired; and immigration patterns that affect some trades more than others.

Consequences

Retirements take experience with them. Employers report difficulty filling skilled positions; wages rise in tight markets; projects face delays. On the other hand, openings create opportunities for new entrants and faster advancement.

Responses

Registered apprenticeships, employer-paid training, high-school career and technical education, pre-apprenticeship programs for underrepresented groups, and mentoring by older workers. The Hall of Makers (Gallery G10) records oral histories so that knowledge survives.

Sources

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, employed persons by detailed occupation and age; industry reports from the Associated Builders and Contractors and the Home Builders Institute.