Helping meet the need for trained building professionals

Listen to this article

The Alliance for Regulatory Coordination joins the International Code Council in observing May as Building Safety Month.

We encourage all Wisconsinites to be aware of the importance of building safety and to take appropriate steps to ensure that the places where we live, work, and play are resilient, safe and accommodating. We believe that all communities need building codes to protect their citizens from disasters like fires, weather-related events or collapse. And we commend code officials who work day in and day out to keep the public safe.

“Mentoring the Next Generation of Building Professionals” is the focus of week one of Building Safety Month. The construction industry is experiencing a mass retirement of skilled professionals; one study indicates that over the next 15 years the industry will experience a loss of 80 percent of the existing skilled workforce.

Employers are seeking qualified building trade professionals to fill the positions of retiring employees and will be vying to hire the best of the best to reinforce their decreasing workforce. Trained professionals are needed in the building industry to prevent a major job shortage in the workforce.

In addition to learning about construction, engineering and architecture, the future workforce needs to become knowledgeable about the building codes to ensure the very best, resilient buildings. ICC and industry partners are providing training and mentoring about the latest design, technology and innovations in the codes through high schools, colleges and career training programs.

ICC has created the High School Technical Training Program to provide schools with a framework to help students understand how codes and regulations are used in the design and construction of residential, commercial, federal and military facilities. Schools participating in the High School Technical Training Program provide students with up-to-date code knowledge and technical code training that fits hand in hand with practical training leading to a skilled workforce.

Building Safety Month is celebrated by jurisdictions worldwide during May.  The campaign is presented by the ICC and its 57,000 members worldwide along with a diverse partnership of professionals from the building design, construction and safety community.

Corporations, government agencies, professional associations, nonprofits and more, come together to support Building Safety Month because they understand the need for safe and sustainable structures where we live, work and play.