Everywhere you look, people are talking about the trades making a
comeback. Enrollment in vocational programs is climbing, classrooms are packed,
and students are lining up to learn carpentry, electrical, plumbing, welding,
and construction technology. For offsite and modular construction, it sounds
like the cavalry is finally on the way. With more students chasing hands-on
careers instead of four-year degrees, you’d think our labor shortages might
finally get some relief.
But look a little closer and you’ll see a growing problem hiding behind
the good news. The very schools tasked with training the next generation of
skilled workers are themselves running short on labor. Trade programs are
expanding, but they can’t find enough teachers to keep up with demand. And if
trade schools can’t staff their own ranks, then offsite construction may find
its much-needed labor pipeline squeezed shut before it ever starts flowing.
Enrollment Boom
Trade school enrollment is on the rise nationwide. Students are realizing
that skilled trades can offer good pay, job security, and a career path that
doesn’t require mountains of student debt. Many states and local school
districts are reinvesting in shop programs, updating equipment, and working to
make these programs more visible. For offsite construction—an industry
desperate for skilled talent—this is encouraging news. Every uptick in
enrollment means more potential workers who understand the tools, the
technology, and the mindset of building efficiently.
The momentum is real, and it represents one of the few bright spots in an
industry often defined by labor shortages. But momentum only matters if the
system has the capacity to deliver. And that’s where the cracks are beginning
to show.
Teacher Shortage
As classrooms fill up, many trade schools are hitting the same wall: not
enough instructors. It’s not that the talent doesn’t exist—it’s that the best
tradespeople can make far more money working in the field than teaching in a
classroom. Schools simply can’t compete with industry wages.
Take Wisconsin, where one high school went through three shop teachers in
four years before a social studies teacher retrained to fill the role—at a
significant pay cut compared to what a welder or carpenter would make in the
field. This is the reality across the country. For every enthusiastic student
ready to learn, there may not be a qualified teacher there to guide them.
The Offsite Paradox
This situation creates an ironic twist for offsite construction. The
industry cheers the growth of trade school enrollment, but without instructors,
that enthusiasm never translates into actual skilled workers on factory floors
or job sites. Schools can buy new tools, renovate labs, and announce
partnerships with industry, but if they can’t hire enough teachers, students
end up waiting—or worse, walking away.
For an industry like ours, already strained by a lack of skilled labor,
this paradox should hit close to home. Even our best solutions—expanding trade
training and promoting the trades as a career path—are themselves vulnerable to
labor shortages. It’s a reminder that every part of the pipeline, from the
classroom to the factory floor, has to be staffed if we’re serious about
solving this problem.
Solutions We Need
There are ways forward, but they require creativity and cooperation. One
option is to encourage part-time or adjunct teaching roles, where tradespeople
split their time between the field and the classroom. Another is to build
stronger partnerships between industry and schools, with companies co-funding
instructor positions or rotating employees into teaching roles. Incentives like
signing bonuses, continuing education opportunities, or recognition programs
could also make teaching more attractive.
Most importantly, schools and industries alike must recognize that
training the next generation isn’t just a “nice to have”—it’s a survival
strategy. Without enough instructors today, offsite factories may find
themselves facing even worse labor shortages tomorrow. The pipeline is only as
strong as the teachers who keep it flowing.
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