While it’s difficult to predict the future, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which pulls information from State & Local sources to determine long and short term employment data, provides information allowing hiring managers and job seekers the ability to make educated decisions.
Looking at their most recent projections for common and rapidly growing fields, here are some of the most interesting nationwide numbers.
Projected Craftworkers Jobs by 2024
Looking at 7 common jobs for craftworkers, we examined their base employment level today and what it is projected to look like in 2024. Some industries are just developing while others are well established, so we looked into the percent change as well. Here’s what we found:
| Role | Base | Projected (2024) | % Change |
| Construction Laborers | 1,159,100 | 1,306,500 | 12.7 |
| Helpers-Electricians | 69,000 | 81,500 | 18 |
| Structural Iron and Steel Workers | 61,400 | 64,200 | 4.5 |
| Pipelayers | 45,700 | 51,000 | 11.4 |
| Millwrights | 40,900 | 47,100 | 15.2 |
| Helpers-Carpenters | 39,700 | 42,700 | 7.5 |
| Solar Photovoltaic Installers | 5,900 | 7,400 | 24.3 |
Average Annual Job Openings per Trade
To better understand what this growth looks like on a year to year employment basis, we took a look at the average annual openings. As defined by the BLS, “average annual openings are the sum of average annual new jobs and replacements. Replacements are an estimate of the number of jobs that will arise from the need to replace workers who will change occupations, retire, or otherwise permanently leave the occupation.”
| Role | Average Annual Openings |
| Construction Laborers | 37,860 |
| Helpers-Electricians | 2,110 |
| Structural Iron and Steel Workers | 1,300 |
| Pipelayers | 1,130 |
| Millwrights | 1,450 |
| Helpers-Carpenters | 800 |
| Solar Photovoltaic Installers | 230 |
Meeting Labor Demand or Finding a Job – Tradesmen Can Help
Tradesmen clients are achieving remarkable profit margin growth by maintaining a smaller, “right-sized” core workforce of A and B+ employees, and supplementing them with high-quality contingent craftworkers only when their workload calls for it. We call it “running lean” and our labor productivity experts can help you achieve its benefits today. Learn more about how we can help you create a more efficient workforce.
What does this mean for job seekers? We provide steady work, competitive wages, safer working conditions, vacation time and good opportunities for skilled tradesmen to train and increase their earnings. Our A and B+ employees are among the nation’s best craftworkers serve the needs of America’s top contractors on projects ranging from power plants and museums to office buildings, retail outlets and multi-family developments. If that sounds like your kind of opportunity, join us.