Skilled Workers

As Florida recovers from the economic crisis and major construction projects get the green light, contractors can expect to face a critical shortage of skilled workers, says Steve Cona III, CEO of Associated Builders and Contractors' Gulf Coast chapter in Tampa.

Veteran electricians, mechanics, HVAC installers, welders, and carpenters are reaching retirement age with the baby boomer generation. Meanwhile, the ranks of skilled construction workers already were thinned by the recession, which dramatically slowed development and drove thousands of workers out of Florida in search of paying projects. Other construction workers simply abandoned the industry and haven't returned.

For example, during the building boom in 2006, the state had nearly 700,000 workers in the construction industry, according to Florida Department of Opportunity numbers. In December, that number was less than half, with 318,400 people employed in the construction industry in Florida.