According to a survey conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America, 83 percent of the responding firms reported that they had trouble filling craft worker positions. This category includes carpenters, equipment operators, and laborers. When it came to hiring professionals, such as supervisors and engineers, 61 percent reported labor shortages. Ken Simonson, chief economist for the group, said in a statement: "Considering how much the nation’s educational focus has moved away from teaching students career and technical skills during the past few decades, it’s easy to understand” why we have this shortage in the construction industry. Officials said the industry needs better vocational education to ease the problem.
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