Under a new program with the Labor Department, a dozen cities will work with federal experts to come up with plans to find much-needed infrastructure workers.
With the need for infrastructure workers about to explode as cities and states begin spending the billions of dollars allocated in recent federal laws, an association representing the nation’s cities is trying to deal with the existing shortage of workers in the industry.
The National League of Cities estimates that the U.S. has a shortage of 1 million construction workers. So in a partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor, the group is launching what’s called the Good Jobs, Great Cities Academy in an effort to find the workers needed to maintain the roads, bridges, buildings and water lines that will be built with the funds.
NLC and the Labor Department will pick 12 cities to work with federal experts from various agencies to come up with plans to find these workers.
ROUTE FIFTY
BY KERY MURAKAMI
APRIL 21, 2023