Facing the future

Words: Jennifer MorrellI remember those dreary reports, week after week, of tumbling construction employment numbers. For several years, the statistics grew increasingly dismal.

Now that our industry finally is seeing growth, we are faced with a construction workforce that may not be able to answer the call for workers. How do we build our depleted workforce? We continue to educate the workers we have, but more important, we attract young, vibrant workers to our craft of masonry. Skilled labor currently is in shortage.

So, it’s no surprise that the Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) is working swiftly and diligently to address the problem. The MCAA has several efforts in the works. In the article “Rebuilding Our Future,” written by MCAA President Jeff Buczkiewicz (p. 28 of the August 2013 issue of Masonry), you’ll read about the MCAA’s initiatives and plans to help bolster our crippled workforce. It truly will take a nation to rebuild a quality masonry workforce.

Jeff also updates us on the many ways the MCAA continues for work for you in the article “MCAA Key Accomplisments” (p. 14 of the August 2013 issue of Masonry). There, you can learn the statuses of the MCAA’s many efforts to build and protect our industry.

Other can’t-miss articles in this issue include expert insight to the manufactured stone industry (see “Manufactured Stone: Industry Snapshot,” p. 16), and an overview of the mast climbing work platform industry as it mobilizes (see “An Industry on the Move,” p. 22 of the August 2013 issue of Masonry).
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