Study of the supply and demand for skilled construction workers in Texas, 1974-2000 : final report for the special Project Committee of the State Manpower Services Council / prepared by the Texas Industrial Commission.

Abstract

This analysis of the supply and demand of skilled construction workers includes the four following topics: supply mechanisms; supply of skilled laborers; past, current and projected construction; and manpower requirements for such construction. The types of construction are restricted to energy-related (nuclear and fossil-fueled power plants), industrial-related (petroleum and chemical plants) and water-related (dams, reservoirs and waste-water treatment facilities). The supply mechanisms include apprenticeship training programs, vocational-technical programs and on-the-job training. The first of these sources is considered to be broad-based training while the latter two are categorized as narrow-based training. Apprenticeship training programs, though long in duration, qualify trainees to practice several different skills, thus creating a better chance for continuous employment. Despite its restrictions, narrow-based training makes its trainees available for employment more quickly. Statistics concerning the supply of skilled labor reveals that its numbers are increasing, especially the structural metal workers, boilermakers and brickmasons. The supply of employed skilled construction workers, another important barometer, indicates employment increases of millwrights, and cement and concrete workers. At the present, minorities represent a comparatively small percentage of the total skilled labor supply while women represent an even smaller percent. Construction of fossil-fueled power plants is moving at a fast pace and should continue to do so, as Texas ranks first in the number of fossil-fueled units proposed for ccnstruction in the U.S. Additional energy-related construction will occur as each of the five proposed nuclear power plants receive permits from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Growth in the number of petrochemical plants is expected to rise as it has in the past although factual substantiation of this is unavailable. Construction of dams and reservoirs will raise their total storage capacity from the current 30 million acre-feet to over 43 million acre-feet in the next five years. Manpower requirements in the past have been greatest in the industrial sector. Future demands will be influenced by nuclear power plant construction which requires a greater number of workers as well as requiring a greater length in construction time.