In recent years, the construction industry has seen a noticeable drop in the workforce. The National Center for Construction Education and Research says this is due to the Great Resignation during the pandemic, an aging workforce and workers moving to other industries like transportation and warehousing, among other reasons.
Today, the industry needs over half a million more workers to meet demand. To help advance the industry, JLG is creating strategies to tackle this issue through better educational programs and improved machine design.
Here are insights into these challenges and how JLG is addressing them.
Tight labor market
The need for more folks in all skilled trades has been accentuated post-pandemic, but that decline has been a problem for much longer. We must positively promote the construction trades in our schools and get the word out to those looking for a career change. In some ways, you can handle the tight labor market through technology that improves efficiencies, but you can’t completely eliminate the need for more people in the trades.
Strategies for training
It can be years before someone is comfortable and efficient with the tools of any construction trade, but I
believe it’s important to introduce them to the equipment as quickly as possible. That way, they’ll continuously improve their proficiency as they progress in their roles.
For this reason, we offer operator training through JLG University, teaching workers how to operate
mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPs) safely and telehandlers. We also offer maintenance training for boom lifts, scissor lifts and telehandlers. A trained operator enhances safety, and a trained mechanic is more efficient.
Equipment and service solutions
We’re constantly looking for ways to help operators of all trades do their jobs safely and efficiently. Moving workers and materials around can be a major undertaking, especially on large projects.
For example, the evolution of telehandlers allows crews to pick up heavier loads to greater heights — one of ours can handle up to 27,000-lb, and another has an extended reach of 75-ft. And, with the introduction of the rotating telehandler, operators set up in one location and move objects (up to 4,400-lb to 97-ft) around without driving across the site. Coupled with various attachments, these machines provide even greater versatility on projects.
JLG boom lifts and scissor lifts are now equipped with load-sensing systems to ensure that working at height is safer than ever. We also focus on sustainability, offering a full line of electric access products that allow operators to work without fuel.
Self-diagnosing machines help reduce downtime, enhance productivity and provide maximum safety to everyone on the job site. Our new ClearSky Smart Fleet™ IoT platform is a breakthrough fleet monitoring technology that provides insights into equipment maintenance by wirelessly connecting to JLG® equipment, looking at everything from fuel and battery levels to hours, battery charge and fault codes, allowing for faster troubleshooting and diagnostics about machine use, uptime, maintenance history and more.
Advancing the trades, now and in the future
At JLG, we must be part of the solution by showing a new generation of workers how useful and safe this type of work can be. Training is key. We also know that we need to continue developing innovative solutions that will make construction companies more efficient and increase the sustainability of our equipment.
Learn more about JLG’s comprehensive training programs for trade workers at JLG.com/Training.
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