The need for 750 electrical workers at Plant Vogtle, a two-unit nuclear power plant located in Burke County, near Waynesboro, Ga., will likely result in laborers being recruited from Canada.
According to a report from NewsChannel 6, Georgia Public Service Commission Vice Chair Tim Echols says the process is already in place to legalize Canadians and get them employed in Burke County.
Bringing electrical workers to the United States from other countries underscores the nation’s critical shortage of skilled laborers in the construction industry, as covered by EC&M in news items such as:
- IEC Testifies Before Congress on Labor Shortage
- 80% of Contractors Report Difficulty Finding Qualified Craft Workers to Hire
- 2018 NECA Convention Launches New Efforts to Battle Skilled Workforce Shortage
- ABC Highlights Construction Worker Shortage during National Apprenticeship Week
Feature articles related to the skilled labor shortage and possible solutions have also recently appeared in EC&M. “License to Survive” summarizes the State of Kentucky’s controversial effort to address the critical shortage of electricians by introducing Senate Bill 78 earlier this year, which calls for the creation of a one-year, nonrenewable provisional license. “Inspection Delays Raise Red Flag” details how understaffed building departments in some busy regions of the country are struggling to complete timely inspections and what's being done about it. For more in-depth coverage on the skilled worker shortage, read “Growth Surge,” which contains exclusive data and commentary on this subject from key players in the electrical industry.
Director of Content Ellen Parson has also stated her thoughts on the skilled labor shortage in several of her editorial viewpoint columns, including “Is There Really Such a Thing as ‘Too Busy’ in This Business?” in which she said, “Having more work than you can handle is always a good problem to have, right? Apparently, the answer to this question is ‘not necessarily.’” In “Recruiting/Retaining Top Talent Is Still Top of Mind for Design Firms” and “Growth Spurt Continues for 2018 Top 50 Electrical Contractors,” Parson recounts how data from EC&M’s propriety Top 50 survey revealed 87% of respondents are having issues with worker shortages. “Almost unanimously, the Top 50 named 'recruiting and retaining qualified skilled labor' as their single biggest business challenge,” she said.
In addition, many members of the electrical industry are also increasing their bid to attract and retain talent, which EC&M is reporting on as well. The following articles will keep you up to date on what is being done and by whom to help alleviate the ongoing problem:
