BuildColorado.com aims to match skilled workers with job openings

Construction workers prepare to install a pipe at West 100th Avenue in Westminster. (Anya Semenoff, The Denver Post)

The retirements of skilled craft workers in the construction trades have made it difficult in some cases impossible for some Colorado contractors to fill key professional positions.

About 30 percent of Colorado construction workers are near retirement age. Nearly half are at least 50 years old. Two people are retiring for every one that takes up the hammer.

(Click on image to enlarge)

But a new construction jobs portal BuildColorado.com aims to ease the pain of recruiting the shrinking pool of skilled workers to a growing number of openings and may aid in convincing some job seekers that construction trades hold long-term career potential.

The site was announced Wednesday morning by Gov. John Hickenlooper, the Associated General Contractors of America and the Colorado Contractors Association.

The website posts openings there were 95 postings Wednesday morning, some seeking dozens of workers and also encourages Coloradans to build careers in the industry.

According to the AGC, jobs in skilled trades including drywall installers, equipment operators, cement masons, carpenters, pipefitters, welders and laborers are especially tough to fill in Colorado.

Denver electrical contractor Dynalectric is having a rough time recruiting project managers, entry-level wiremen and wirewomen, and even candidates for its apprenticeship program, executive vice president Gina Cullen said.

"I can tell you that in our corner of the construction industry, with electricians, we are seeing retirement at a faster rate than we are getting new employees in the trade," she said. "There seems to be fewer qualified applicants for skilled positions, and fewer applicants in general for entry-level positions."

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BuildColorado.com aims to match skilled workers with job openings