I recently participated in an industry workshop where +/-30 professionals from many facets of construction gathered to help craft the research agenda for a prestigious higher education institution. I was invited to help represent residential construction, and was surrounded by engineers, architects, planners, policy makers, software providers, data experts, automation leaders, researchers, faculty, and government program administrators.
The session affirmed that one of the core issues facing residential construction is not unique to homebuilding: The skilled labor pool is shrinking, what do we do?
The conversation was stimulating with much discussion surrounding robotics, data and AI. Yet throughout, I felt that the segment that is most affected by the industry’s efforts to ‘solve the problem’ were missing: the tradesmen and women. It was as if those of us in the room – most of whom held at least one post-secondary degree – felt empowered to speak on behalf of several million trade workers (The Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America, Inc.).
Regardless your view on the future of manufactured housing, component construction or automated building, this industry will still require a workforce that our industry currently calls “trades.” For a number of factors, including liability and industry volatility, I do not anticipate a wholesale migration away from the current general contractor/subcontractor relationship. Will there be successful industry examples of “vertical construction?” Sure. However, I’m not convinced that this will become mainstream in my lifetime.
“But look at the automobile industry,” you may exclaim. True. There are lessons there for construction. However, by 1961 - the time robotics began making a real impact in U.S. auto manufacturing - the Big Three (General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler) had a combined market share of over 85% (American Enterprise Institute).
Don’t get me wrong. The questions posed at this research roundtable should be asked and answers should be pursued. For decades, the construction industry has suffered from record-low investment in R+D. At the same time, let’s not be naïve: trades are vital to our industry’s success today… and tomorrow. For those of us looking to the future, we should be asking the trades these same questions.