Downtown construction boom raises workforce concerns

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7 thoughts on “Downtown construction boom raises workforce concerns

  1. Plenty of manpower at the border in Texas. Perhaps conscientious interviewing can determine those who most appropriately might fill positions in construction and at IndyGo.

    Questions: speak English, HS or higher education, past related experience? Apparently, too few exist in IN to fulfill the need, so a broader search may be necessary. Perhaps seek workers from US areas without significant employment opportunities — WV, MS, LA?

    IN and Indy offer affordable housing, lower cost of living, water, and reasonable weather. Schools, safety, infrastructure and state governance are poor . . . but the perfect location does not exist.

    1. Derek C.
      + 1

      I’ve thought for sometime that we should set up outreach programs in Houston,
      Dallas, Phoenix, and other cities in the deep South and Southwest for the
      labor that we need.

      Plenty of selling points for the Indianapolis area. Plenty of jobs
      and
      We are NOT Chicago cold in the winter and NOT Phoenix hot in the summer.

  2. Indiana has to be proactive and not reactive to a situation that could get out of had if it’s not properly addressed now. As many of you have stated, there’s plenty of labor force to pull from in states like Tx, Phoenix, Arizona, Florida and even as far as Colorado or California. Indiana definitely has the money to build housing for these workers no matter if it’s for temporary or long term stay, the workforce is out there if the state really wants it. With all the private and government projects in the pipeline in Indy and surrounding suburbs, it’s just a matter of when and not if the state will be dangerously short on skilled labor in the construction field. I really hate that law makers wait until it’s at a critical point before the react to things they should be making plans for right now.

    1. Kevin P.
      +1

      Agreed that our state lawmakers tend to be reactive and NOT proactive.
      It’s like they are stuck in the past inside. Stuck in a box.

      We need some new young blood running in our institutions that can see things
      with foresight. Where we have been bringing in younger blood, they have been
      seeing some success.

      In Elkhart when the RV Industry needed workers badly. Local corporations and
      the city partnered to recruit throughout the nation. They also partnered on
      rentals and affordable housing.

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