VETERANS IN CONSTRUCTION
Two AGC of California Member Vets Share Their Journeys
BY CAROL EATON
E
very year during the month of November, the United States rec- ognizes and honors veterans and
their service to this country. As an estimated 200,000 men and women annually make the transition from military service to civilian employment, the construction industry increasingly recognizes the significant role veterans can play in helping it address a nationwide labor shortage. According to the U.S. Department
of Labor, the construction sector cur- rently employs approximately 7% of veterans – a number with ample room to grow as employers search for talent to fill diverse positions on the jobsite
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CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTOR NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2022
and in the office. A summer 2022 in- dustrywide survey by AGC of America and technology vendor Autodesk found that 93% of construction firms have job openings, and 91% are having difficulty filling those open positions. Skilled craft workers are in particularly high demand and short supply, according to the survey.
Construction Industry Support Vets AGC of California’s workforce development programs support the pipeline for veterans coming into the industry, including sup- porting veterans in AGC of California stu- dent chapters and through its scholarship programs. Build California is equipped to
recruit vets and connect them to training, apprenticeships and employers. Other industry organizations support these efforts to bring veterans into the construction industry as well. Te non- profit Helmets to Hardhats, for example, is specifically focused on connecting transitioning active-duty military ser- vice members, veterans, National Guard and Reservists with skilled training and career opportunities in the construction industry. Te group’s “Wounded Warrior” program works to connect disabled vet- erans with construction careers. While many veterans require construc- tion specific training as they transition from military service, they bring with
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