ABC

October is Careers in Construction Month, an opportunity to highlight the value of workers choosing to build broader skill sets. That decision improves productivity on jobsites while creating the conditions for workers to be more valuable, find more fulfillment, earn more and have more opportunities.

New research to back this choice details the benefits of multiskilling labor strategies. While the concept of multiskilling is nothing new for construction, this new field data shows the enormous benefits for a lifelong career in the industry. After collecting 11,400 samples on 36 projects in 24 different states, the Simplar Foundation found that multiskilling increased the share of crew time spent on directly advancing construction work by 39%.

A new report in this dataset takes the research a step further by detailing the productivity benefits of multiskilled crews, which can reduce construction completion time by about 30%. Multiskilling can expand workers’ capabilities and opportunities while giving the industry a practical strategy to address labor shortages in New York. By strengthening the construction workforce, multiskilling can increase our capacity to build the infrastructure, facilities and projects our communities and economies need in New York and across America.

"Multiskilling creates more opportunities for workers while helping the construction industry build projects more efficiently," said Brian Sampson, president of ABC’s Empire State Chapter. "It's a win for employees, employers and the communities that depend on a strong construction workforce."

Multiskilling benefits the worker, the community and the taxpayer. A career in construction is a practical, lucrative choice for the multiskilled worker because it requires sought-after skills in a sustainable, valued profession. The findings in this productivity report go hand in hand with the value of multiskilling for the worker.

Associated Builders and Contractors advances multiskilled learning through a nationwide workforce development network that offers more than 800 apprenticeship, craft, safety and management programs. ABC Empire State provides apprenticeship training, workforce education and professional development opportunities that equip workers with the skills needed to build successful, long-term careers in the construction industry.

Learn more at abc.org/multiskilling.