Skilled building professionals have helped keep communities safe for decades, through their constant vigilance in making sure construction adheres to the minimum safety procedures, as well as helping to craft and refine those procedures. But the construction industry is experiencing a mass retirement of skilled professionals; one study indicates that over the next 12 years, the industry will experience a loss of 80 percent of the existing skilled workforce.
Employers are seeking qualified building trade professionals to fill the positions of retiring employees and will be vying to hire the leading men and women to reinforce their decreasing workforce. Trained professionals are needed in the building industry to prevent a major job shortage in the workforce.
“Retirements will affect building officials, fire code officials, plans examiners, permit technicians and administrative staff reviewing special inspection reports,” said International Code Council (ICC) Board of Directors President M. Dwayne Garriss, Georgia State Fire Marshal. “Engineers and architects, as well — all these noble professions, which many people may not be aware of — are all necessary to maintain our high standards for building safety.”
Working towards this goal of preserving the industry’s workforce, the International Code Council is devoting its first week of Building Safety Month (BSM) — May 1-7, 2017 — to the theme: “Mentoring the Next Generation of Building Professionals.”
In addition to learning about construction, engineering, and architecture, the future workforce needs to become knowledgeable about the building codes to ensure the very best, most-resilient buildings. ICC and industry partners are providing training and mentoring on the latest design, technology, and innovations in the codes through high schools, colleges, and career training programs.
One way ICC is doing this is through its High School Technical Training Program (HSTTP), created to provide schools with a framework to help students understand how codes and regulations are used in the design and construction of residential, commercial, federal, and military facilities. Schools participating in the HSTTP provide students with up-to-date code knowledge and technical code training that fits hand-in-hand with practical training leading to a skilled workforce.
In addition to the HSTTP, ICC provides an array of resources and information on the theme of Mentoring the Next Generation of Building Professionals.
Since 1980, Building Safety Month has been an annual public safety awareness campaign to help individuals, families, and businesses understand what it takes to create safe and sustainable structures. To learn more about BSM, including themes for the rest of the month of May, visit the campaign’s website.