The construction sector is huge, with $10.4 trillion in sales in the US alone.
But for many Americans, the jobs and the pay are not good enough.
According to a survey from the National Association of Home Builders, only 22% of Americans can afford to purchase their own homes.
The majority of Americans in this demographic have a household income between $35,000 and $75,000, but just 19% of those with a household annual income of $75 or more are homeowners.
These statistics are largely attributed to the recession and the housing bubble.
But there’s another reason that many of these workers are stuck: They don’t want to build anything.
“We know what the job market looks like and we know how it’s going to look,” said Michael Hausman, an economist at the nonprofit Center for American Progress.
“And so we’re not looking for people to make a living out of this.”
But there are signs that the economy is starting to pick up and people are starting to look at what the construction industry offers them.
According for the fourth quarter, construction companies added 1.9 million jobs in the United States, up 6.4% from the same quarter a year ago.
Construction companies are hiring because the economy seems to be getting back on track.
“It’s a good sign,” said Doug Hurd, a vice president at the construction firm Cogan Group, in a statement.
“We have been adding jobs in our business.
It’s been a bit slow but we’ve been working hard.
Construction has always been about building and the economy and the construction boom is starting again.”
The industry has seen a rise in interest from people who want to get into construction, which is a big opportunity for those who have the education and the work ethic to be a successful construction worker.
But, in many cases, these jobs aren’t as lucrative as they used to be.
Hurd and his colleagues at Cogan are offering a special training program to help those workers.
They’re partnering with companies that offer a combination of internships and jobs in construction to help the industry grow.
“Our apprenticeship programs have grown to include over 1,500 companies across the country,” Hurd said.
“The number of people that have come to us for training has increased by over 2,000.”
For those who want a job, there are ways to get started.
The Department of Labor has created a job training website that includes information on how to apply for construction jobs.
And there’s also a $15 an hour starting salary that many construction workers can earn, even if they only have one year of experience in the field.
“You’re going to see a lot of people who have just gotten out of college, who are trying to build a career and make ends meet,” said Hausmann.
“This is something that has been missing in the industry.”
Hausman says he’s hoping to help these workers in the long run, but that it’s not necessarily a bad thing.
“The construction industry is still very young.
It has a lot to offer,” he said.