NASHVILLE - The head of a new Tennessee initiative aimed at getting youth to consider construction industry careers says the U.S. faces a "national crisis" because many retiring skilled workers like electricians and heavy equipment operators aren't getting replaced.
"In Tennessee, the average age of a construction worker is over 50 years old," said David Stansell, president of the new Go Build Tennessee initiative as the nonprofit group officially kicked off its program during a state Capitol news conference this week with Gov. Bill Haslam.
But Stansell, also president of Nashville-based Stansell Electric, warned that only one out of every five skilled workers retiring is getting replaced: "Demand far exceeds supply."
The Go Build Tennessee program, modeled on similar initiatives in Georgia and Alabama, hopes to "recruit the next generation of construction workers" through both grassroots efforts as well as a television and digital educational advertising campaign.
While aimed at students, efforts are also intended to reach the youths' "influencers" such as parents, teachers and coaches to encourage students to look at skilled trade programs as an alternative.
A website will provide information about apprenticeship programs as well as state Department of Labor and Workforce Development data to help move students toward training and jobs, Stansell said.
It won't "just publicize the problem, it actively closes the skills gap," Stansell added.
The program's $3 million, three-year budget is funded by excess revenue collected by the Board of Licensing Contractors from fees for applications, renewals and fines. That's the result of 2015 legislation passed by state lawmakers at the urging of the Associated General Contractors of Tennessee, Associated Builders and Contractors, Home Builders of Tennessee and the Tennessee Road Builders Association.
All the groups are involved in Go Build Tennessee.
Haslam said there is a building boom in Nashville and a number of areas across the state. While he doesn't believe in a government-pushed "command and control economy," the governor said, "what we keep looking into is here are where the opportunities are.
"And construction is an industry that has a lot of opportunity and provides a great career track for a lot of folks," Haslam added. "It's not just about current demand. As I said, it's about an aging work force."
It is "critical that a lot of people be prepared for the real jobs," the governor said.
Contact Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com, 615-255-0550 or follow via twitter at AndySher1.