Construction labor crunch = Greater Knoxville opportunities

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Leon Williams Contractors an attractive place to work

 

“Labor shortage.”

“Major fixes needed.”

“Shifting construction plans.”

Google it if you dare, but that’s just the hint of headlines that abound about a growing labor scarcity in the design-build construction fields.

But what some may call scarcity, we call opportunity. Our current labor force at Leon Williams Contractors is qualified, skilled and highly sufficient, but we are always looking for skilled additions to our team.

The U.S. unemployment rate – at 4.3 percent as of Aug. 10, is back to pre-Recession levels, if not less. Many markets – including Knoxville – are seeing jobless rates below 3 percent. That means there is stiff competition for construction laborers and skilled craftsmen in the Knoxville and Maryville areas.

That also means skilled workers can shop themselves around before committing to new opportunities. But our history and reputation as a leading East Tennessee design-build firm already makes us stand apart from other companies, and we tend to attract and retain the best minds and hands in the industry.

Send your resume today toinfo@lwcontractorstn.comif you are interested in joining our team and taking your construction career to the next level.

In the meantime, for some perspective on the opportunities that await, here is a quick by-the-numbers snapshot of the current labor situation:

  • 56 percent of home builders report a lack of skilled laborersis a major issue.
  • 75 percent of builders say they have recently increased wages.
  • 40 percent of the workforce in some markets is foreign born. Many of those workers left the American workforce during the Recession.
  • 500,000 skilled electricians and carpentersare needed nationally. If a national infrastructure-repair plan ever came to fruition that number would grow to 1.1 million.

The issue is complex, and the answers are not easy, but we are committed to maintaining a workforce that can build the Maryville, Knoxville and East Tennessee economies.