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SALT LAKE CITY – Construction is booming in Utah.
The state considered No. 1 in the country for construction, according to a report released by Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.
Despite the economic slowdown in 2007-2008, Utah’s construction industry has roared back.
Doug Welling is the president and CEO of Jacobsen Construction, the company tasked with building the new, 115,000-square-foot Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office.
“I’ve been working at Jacobsen Construction for 30 years and this is as busy as we’ve ever seen [the construction industry],” Welling said.
Project Superintendent Mike Johnson said the construction increase feels greater than the Olympic boom in the years leading up to the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.
As new buildings, condominiums and apartment buildings go up, Utah residents can see construction cranes have changed the skyline.
With highway projects in full swing and Salt Lake International Airport undergoing a major remake, thousands of people are working on these projects. Even with all the construction workers in the industry now, more are needed because of the new projects ready to go, according to Richard Thorn, president and CEO of the Associated General Contractors of Utah.
“There are not enough bodies for the number of jobs that are out there right now, and that covers pretty much all sectors,” Thorn said.
Welling expects the construction boom to stay strong for a while; at least another two or three years, he said.
Now the challenge is to recruit younger workers.
One of the issues the industry is facing is that the average age of a construction worker is in his or her 50s. Many are starting to retire and there aren’t enough young people who are getting in.
Construction companies have created apprenticeship programs and are working with colleges to urge students to consider construction careers.
Thorn believes there is one great advantage to being a part of the construction business. "You can look back at the end of the day and say, ‘You know what? I built that ... I had a hand in that. I helped build that road, I helped build that building, and it’ll be there for a long time,'” he said.
Contributing: Yvette Cruz
