What: Presentation of the Skilled Construction Trades Study Who: Presented by Katie Loovis, Vice President of External Affairs at The Chamber For a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro When: September 3, 2020 from 4-5pm ET Why: To facilitate a discussion among the HBA of Durham, Orange, and Chatham Counties High Performance Building Council on the nearly year-long study and next steps. Read the study: https://chambermaster.blob.core.windows.net/userfiles/UserFiles/chambers/568/File/SkilledConstructionTradesStudy.FINAL.pdf Review the press release with key findings: https://business.carolinachamber.org/news/details/chamber-releases-skilled-construction-trades-study Learn more about the HBA of DOC: https://www.hbadoc.com/high-performance-building-council/ Learn more about the Chamber: https://www.carolinachamber.org/

1. 1
Skilled Construction
Trades Study
Prepared by Katie Loovis for Discussion on September 3, 2020

2. 2
Bottom Line
The study, which was conducted by
the Skilled Construction Trades Study
Group and facilitated by The
Chamber:
Confirms that the construction
trades talent pipeline in Orange
County needs attention,
Identifies the start-up costs of a
possible training center, and
Concludes with recommendations
for immediate next steps and a long-
term strategy to develop a
comprehensive, demand-driven,
workforce development plan.

3. 3
Agenda
1) Timeline
2) Framing
3) Study Findings*
4) Feasibility Findings*
5) Recommendations
6) Next steps*

4. 4
Agenda
1) Timeline
2) Framing
3) Study Findings*
4) Feasibility Findings*
5) Recommendations
6) Next steps*

5. 5
• 2015: The HBA of DOC began advocating for the development of a future training center in
Orange County.
• Sept 2018: The Chamber hosted the Inter-City Visit to Lawrence, Kansas and toured Peaslee
Tech.
• Mar 2019: Former Carrboro Mayor Jim Porto called the Tradescraft Training Center Discussion,
which was hosted at The Chamber.
• June 2019: Commissioner Marcoplos proposed the budget amendment for the study, which
was approved by the Board of Orange County Commissioners.
• Charge: “Compile an inventory of agencies participating in the work force development pipeline
available to Orange County and assess the feasibility of a Tradescraft Center.”
• Aug - Nov 2019: The Chamber collaborated with HBA, Durham Tech, the Hillsborough
Chamber, and other key stakeholders, submitted a proposal, and was contracted by Orange
County Government to facilitate the study.
• Nov 2019 – June 2020: The study was conducted, including meetings and interviews with
50 key stakeholders and extensive research on national, state, and regional policies and
programs.
• July 2020: 88-page study was completed, submitted, and shared with the public through this
press release.
Timeline

6. 6
Agenda
1) Timeline
2) Framing
3) Study Findings*
4) Feasibility Findings*
5) Recommendations
6) Next steps*

7. 7
Framing the talent pipeline

8. 8
This study focused on the skilled construction trades.
Framing the trades
• Skilled Trades are occupations that
require a special skill, knowledge, or
ability, which can be obtained at a
college, technical school, or through
specialized training.
• 3 categories of skilled trades:
• Skilled Industrial Trades (i.e.
machinists and mechanics)
• Skilled Service Trades (i.e. nurses,
aides, orderlies, and service
technicians).
• Skilled Construction Trades (i.e.
carpenters, electricians, and plumbers)

9. 9
There are 19 occupations within the “Construction and Extraction Trades” according to the U.S. Bureau
of Labor Statistics:
1) Elevator Installers and Repairers
2) Boilermakers
3) Construction and Building Inspectors
4) Electricians
5) Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
6) Ironworkers
7) Sheet Metal Workers
8) Construction Equipment Operators
9) Carpenters
10) Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers, and Tapers
11) Masonry Workers
12) Glaziers
13) Solar Photovoltaic Installers
14) Hazardous Materials Removal Workers
15) Insulation Workers
16) Flooring Installers and Tile and Marble Setters
17) Roofers
18) Painters, Construction and Maintenance
19) Construction Laborers and Helpers
Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/home.htm
Framing the occupations

10. 10
Framing the wages
*Star Jobs is a digital platform managed by the NC DOC to categorize occupations with a star rating (1-5 stars) based
on wages, projected growth rate, and projected job openings. Occupations with 5 stars are considered to have better
career prospects than occupations with fewer stars. For the Raleigh-Durham Region, there are seven 5 Star Jobs.
5 Star Job Descriptive Analysis
Construction Managers
Requires Bachelor’s degree, has 0.6% Annual Growth, 333 Average Annual Openings in
region, and a Median Annual Wage of $99,482
*First-Line Supervisors of
Construction Trades and Extraction
Workers
Requires a high school diploma or equivalent, 0.5% Annual Growth, 627 Annual Openings
in region, and a Median Annual Wage of $60,245
Heating, Air Conditioning, and
Refrigeration Mechanics and
Installers
Requires postsecondary nondegree award, 1.1% Annual Growth, 396 Annual Openings in
region, and a Median Annual Wage of $45,583
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and
Steamfitters
Requires high school diploma or equivalent, has 1.1% Annual Growth, 426 Annual
Openings in region, and a Median Annual Wage of $45,247
*Civil Engineers
Requires Bachelor’s degree, has a 0.9% Annual Growth, 293 Average Annual Openings in
region, and a Median Annual Wage of $82,400
*Cost Estimators
Requires Bachelor's degree, has 0.7% Annual Growth, 196 Average Annual Openings in
region, and a Median Annual Wage of $64,487
*First-Line Supervisors of
Landscaping, Lawn Service, and
Groundskeeping Workers
Requires a high school diploma or equivalent, has 1.6% Annual Growth, 108 Annual
Openings in region, and a Median Annual Wage of $56,421

11. 11
Framing the pathway

12. 12
Model Programs
Four exceptional construction trades training center models with different facilities but all
powered by public-private coalitions that are deeply connected with the local high schools and
community colleges.
From top left to bottom right: Goodwill Construction Skills Training Center (Charlotte, NC),
Peaslee Tech (Lawrence, KS), the Construction Careers Academy (Catawba County, NC) and
WayMakers: Durham’s Skilled Trades Pathway (Durham, NC).

13. 13
Agenda
1) Timeline
2) Framing
3) Study Findings*
4) Feasibility Findings*
5) Recommendations
6) Next steps*

14. 14
Mapping the talent pipeline
Learners:
• The primary learner population is re-careering adults, including immigrants and
those formerly working in retail, hospitality, and other COVID-impacted industries.
• The secondary learner population emerging is high school students; however,
negative perceptions of the trades could be a challenge.
• The Hillsborough Chamber’s “Students Transforming Expectations & Exploring Real
Opportunities” (STEER) career exploration program.

15. 15
Mapping the talent pipeline
Education Providers:
• There are minimal training opportunities for skilled construction trades in Orange
County.
• Other than CTE, Hope Renovations, and OJT, learners must travel to surrounding
counties for construction training.
• Community colleges in surrounding counties offer classes in the construction
trades, including Durham Tech with credit and continuing education classes in
Durham County, but all are largely at-capacity.

16. 16
Orange High School
Construction Lab
and the Cedar
Ridge High School
Woodworking Lab

17. 17
Hope Renovations
Construction Training Lab at
Fitch Lumber in Carrboro, NC

18. 18
Mapping the talent pipeline
Employers:
• In Orange County, the construction industry ranks in the top ten both in the
number of enterprises and overall sales (The Chamber, 2019).
• Employers include small, mid-size, and large businesses (i.e. Sparrow & Sons
Plumbing, Inc., Resolute Building Company, and Summit Engineering and Design);
educational institutions and nonprofit organizations (such as UNC-Chapel Hill and
UNC Health); and government agencies (such as Orange County Government).
• These enterprises need skilled construction workers for a variety of projects, from
the construction of new facilities and installation of new products to the
maintenance and repair of existing facilities and infrastructure.
• Filling these high demand construction jobs is a well-documented challenge. In
fact, construction companies report a higher level of difficulty in filling open
positions, with longer vacancies than any other industry in the state (NC Works
Commission, 2016).

19. 19
Discussion
Reactions, feedback, questions, comments?

20. 20
Agenda
1) Timeline
2) Framing
3) Study Findings*
4) Feasibility Findings*
5) Recommendations
6) Next steps*

21. 21
Feasibility Findings
Estimates generated by:
• Coulter Jewell Thames, Daniel A. Jewell RLA, ASLA, President
(professional engineering, land surveying, and landscape architecture firm)
• Philip Post & Associates, Phillip Post, President
(civil engineering and land surveying firm)

22. 22
1) Contract Existing Training Program
2) Lease Existing Warehouse
3) Buy Existing Warehouse
4) Construct New Facility
4 Options
*Construction and start-up costs only
*All four options are realistic and in-play as of May 22, 2020
*Informed by key variables, including preferences related to location, access,
scalability, and size.

23. 23
1) Contract Existing Training Program
2) Lease Existing Warehouse
3) Buy Existing Warehouse
4) Construct New Facility
4 Options

24. 24
1) Contract Existing Training Program
Hope Renovations, Carrboro

25. 25
1) Contract Existing Training Program
2) Lease Existing Warehouse
3) Buy Existing Warehouse
4) Construct New Facility
4 Options

26. 26
2) Lease Existing Warehouse
Eno River Mill, Hillsborough

27. 27
1) Contract Existing Training Program
2) Lease Existing Warehouse
3) Buy Existing Warehouse
4) Construct New Facility
4 Options

28. 28
3) Buy Existing Warehouse
300 Executive Court, Hillsborough

29. 29
1) Contract Existing Training Program
2) Lease Existing Warehouse
3) Buy Existing Warehouse
4) Construct New Facility
4 Options

30. 30
4) Construct New Facility
County-owned land, 3800 US-70 West, Efland

31. 31
Description Option #1
Contract Existing
Training Program
Option #2
Lease Existing
Warehouse
Option #3
Buy Existing
Warehouse
Option #4
Construct New
Facility
Example Site Hope
Renovations
Carrboro
Eno River Mill
Hillsborough
360 Executive Ct
Hillsborough
3800 US-70 West
Efland
Lease Fee /
Purchase Price
~$75-$100/
Instruction Hour
$435,000 $1,510,000 $0
Land $0 $0 $0 $0
Site Work $0 $25,000 $0 $400,000
Hard Cost $0 $300,000 $5,000 $1,250,000
FF&E $0 $250,000 $250,000 $250,000
Soft Costs $0 $60,000 $50,000 $340,000
Other Costs Max. 12 students/
class; Min. 4 hr class
$107,000 $181,500 $224,000
TOTAL Negotiable $1,177,000 $1,996,500 $2,464,000
Feasibility Table

32. 32
Agenda
1) Timeline
2) Framing
3) Study Findings*
4) Feasibility Findings*
5) Recommendations
6) Next steps*

33. 33
The nearly year-long study involved meetings and interviews with fifty key
stakeholders as well as extensive research on national, state, and regional policies
and programs that culminated in this 88-page report.
The study made three key findings for this region:
1) This study validated that there is a construction worker shortage and employer
demand continues despite the pandemic-related economic contraction.
2) There are several occupations in the construction trades with strong income
opportunities and projected growth.
3) While the construction job opportunities are robust, training for these occupations
in Orange County is limited at best.
Recap

34. 34
Recommended Short-Term Next Steps
Constructive conversations among key stakeholders throughout this study helped
surface three opportunities that, if implemented, could immediately improve the
Orange County skilled construction trades talent pipeline:
1) Identify funding for new construction classes for re-careering adults in
Orange County taught by Durham Tech faculty at Orange High School and by
Hope Renovations staff at the Fitch Lumber Training Lab.
2) Support the launch of the new HVAC training program at Chapel Hill-Carrboro
City Schools and the continued success of the Hillsborough Chamber’s “Students
Transforming Expectations & Exploring Real Opportunities” (STEER) career
exploration program.
3) Support the expansion of WayMakers to include Orange County and Chapel
Hill-Carrboro City Schools.
Recommendations

35. 35
Recommended Long-Term Strategy
There are several industries in addition to construction that would benefit from an
increased economic and workforce development focus, including health care and
biopharma, information technology, professional services, hospitality and food
services, logistics, electrical, and automotive.
To that end, the final recommendation is to:
4) Create a comprehensive, demand-driven workforce development plan
for Orange County that is regional in approach, aligned to dynamic
business needs, and designed to build Orange County’s competitive
advantage.
A comprehensive workforce development plan will inform Orange County long-term
future workforce development investments, including in a possible construction trades
training center.
Recommendations

36. 36
Short-Term Next Steps
1) Identify funding for new
construction classes for re-
careering adults in Orange County
taught by Durham Tech faculty at
Orange High School and by Hope
Renovations staff at the Fitch Lumber
Training Lab.
2) Support the launch of the new
HVAC training program at Chapel Hill-
Carrboro City Schools and the
continued success of the Hillsborough
Chamber’s “Students Transforming
Expectations & Exploring Real
Opportunities” (STEER) career
exploration program.
3) Support the expansion of
WayMakers to include Orange
County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City
Schools.
Long-Term Strategy
4) Create a comprehensive, demand-
driven workforce development plan
for Orange County that is regional in
approach, aligned to dynamic business
needs, and designed to build Orange
County’s competitive advantage.
A comprehensive workforce development
plan will inform Orange County long-term
future workforce development investments,
including in a possible construction trades
training center.
Recommendations

37. 37
Press Release:
https://business.carolinachamber.org/news/details/chamber-releases-
skilled-construction-trades-study
Skilled Construction Trades Study:
https://chambermaster.blob.core.windows.net/userfiles/UserFiles/chambers/
568/File/SkilledConstructionTradesStudy.FINAL.pdf
Learn more…