Construction firms worried about worker shortage

The construction industry says it’s in danger of not having enough people to keep up with demand for building projects, as workers age and more teens are pushed to go to college.

That worry comes after 2 million construction workers were laid off during the recession.

One trade group, the Associated General Contractors of America, announced a plan in Denver on Tuesday to draw more people into building trades. That plan included establishing charter schools focused on technical training, starting non-union apprenticeship programs and pushing for immigration reform.

The group believes many of the laid off workers have since found work in other fields or retired.

Denver was picked for the announcement because it has been one of the top 10 metro areas for adding new construction jobs in the past year.