Have metal

To understand how critical the labor shortage is in certain construction trades, consider the case of Fusion Welding in Fort Myers.

The company could have earned another $1 million in business in 2012 if it had found the skilled welders it needed, says Darin Beaner, operations manager.

Fusion Welding beefed up the staff last year to a total of 32 people. The company posted revenues of $1.5 million in 2013, and it's ready to more than double sales to $4 million this year. “We run two shifts here because there's not enough parking,” Beaner says.