Page 34 - SKILLS - 2023

INDUSTRIES IN FOCUS
Construction:
A Fast-Growing Field Competing Fiercely for Talent
BY RITA ROSS
As Westchester heads into the post-pandemic world, there’s a growing sense of vibrancy in the county’s construction industry.
A number of new projects, many bolstered by the massive $1.2 trillion federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed
by Congress at the end of 2021, are starting to take shape.
New York State received a hefty $13 billion from the package, giving a green light to extensive plans for building or repairing everything from highways and bridges to sewers and waterlines.
To add to the momentum, state voters approved a $4.2 billion Environmental Bond Act in November 2022. This legislation will help boost the environment as well as the
job market, through infrastructure and other improvements aimed at preserving natural resources and opening up an estimated 84,000 jobs.
“These will fund a lot of project
work, capital construction,
and upgrades to the existing infrastructure,” says George Drapeau, public affairs specialist for the Construction Industry Council (CIC) of Westchester & Hudson Valley, a Tarrytown-based trade organization. “All in all, it will create a lot of jobs.”
Plentiful Employment
“We’re back to almost pre- pandemic levels, and employers are competing fiercely for talent,” says Jason Chapin, director of workforce development for the Westchester County Association, a regional economic development and business advocacy organization.
He notes that, according to the state Department of Labor, last year wrapped up with a December unemployment rate of just 2.5% in the county.
“That’s close to historic lows,” Chapin says. “So if you’re graduating from high school or college, or you’ve
been out of the workforce and want to get back in, there’s probably never been a better time. There’s tremendous opportunity now.”
Among the regional companies eager to hire is Kings Capital Construction Group in Tarrytown,
one of the region’s best-known
heavy construction management
and commercial general contracting companies. “We’re always on the lookout for skilled, qualified workers in all areas of construction, from project management to on-site laborers,” says Victoria Bruno, business development manager at Kings Capital.
One project requiring a huge pool of employees from across the state
is the South Fork Wind renewable energy farm, based 35 miles off Long Island’s coast. Scheduled to launch operations later this year, South Fork is one of five New York wind farms
in development. The New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA) estimates that overall, these enterprises will create 10,000 new jobs — from construction workers to technicians.
The county’s private construction sector has seen a rebound, too. Drapeau of the CIC points out a $650 million, mixed-use redevelopment of the former White Plains Mall. Known as Hamilton Green, the project broke ground in December 2022 and will combine residential, commercial, and retail space.
With all these avenues of progress, it’s no surprise that the state Department of Labor estimates the New York construction field will likely grow by more than 24% in the 10-year span ending in 2030.
32 2023 SKILLS What’s Hot. What’s Next. What’s Needed.
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