National workforce development program The Campaign for Historic Trades’ analysis shows the need for a larger and better-trained historic trades workforce; 100,000 workers needed within the next decade
San Diego (December 1, 2022) – National workforce development program The Campaign for Historic Trades today announced the completion of a first-of-its-kind labor study on the status of historic trades in America. As the premiere preservation organization in San Diego, SOHO is pleased to partner with The Campaign to highlight the investment needed to develop a trained workforce to properly preserve and maintain the San Diego Region’s unique historic assets. This study is believed to be the most comprehensive survey ever prepared on the status of the traditional trades in the United States.
The Campaign for Historic Trades is a national workforce development program powered by the statewide non-profit Preservation Maryland in partnership with the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Training Center. As part of its mission to identify and resolve systemic barriers to historic trades careers, The Campaign sought to define historic trades occupations and ascertain the current and future market need for trained tradespeople. With this new study, conducted by Place Economics—a firm with decades of experience in the analysis of the economic impact of preservation—and the data it provides, the gap between the need for historic preservation trades workers and the trained hands to perform the work is accurately measured and forecasted for the first time in history.
“Quantifying the disconnect between the need for historic preservation trades workers and the trained hands to perform the work allows us to make the strong case for funding to support our bold initiative and, most importantly, create a larger and better-trained workforce to preserve historic places across the country,” explained Natalie Henshaw, Director of The Campaign for Historic Trades.
Key Findings
The portion of the construction industry that is focused on historic rehabilitation is large and growing. Heritage trades make up an estimated 12.6% of all building rehabilitation jobs. Both the number of buildings considered historic and the amount of money invested in their rehabilitation are on upward curves. But there is a serious shortage of workers who are trained and experienced in the historic preservation trades.
- Nearly 2 million commercial buildings, 35 million residential buildings, and over 2 million multi-family buildings—that is, almost 39 million of 96.1 million structures in total—in the United States were built at least 50 years ago.
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Each year, approximately 261,000 of these properties have rehabilitation projects that require experience heritage trades workers—that is nearly 100,000 highly specialized trades workers needed over the next decade.
- In 2021 alone the total investment in historic buildings is estimated to be nearly $37 billion, and that historic rehabilitation activity is expected to create close to 166,000 direct jobs annually.
The rehabilitation of historic buildings is a labor-intensive activity, meaning a high share of the total expenditure goes to labor. These projects create more localized jobs compared to new construction activities.
- For every 10 direct jobs created by rehabilitating a historic building, another 1.8 to 2.4 additional jobs are created elsewhere in the economy.
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On average, for every $100 in direct labor income an additional $186 is generated in paychecks for indirect and induced jobs.
- Additionally, $11.3 billion direct labor income is created by historic rehabilitation activity.
Bruce Coons, executive director of Save Our Heritage Organisation, SOHO, added that “The study significantly shows that historic preservation is a major component of the construction industry and highlights the need for historic preservation trades workers that we have in San Diego and throughout California. SOHO’s online Old House Resource Directory has limited trained tradespeople with long waiting lists. The study underscores the need for San Diego to invest in the workforce that will sustain this growing need.”
ABOUT
The Campaign for Historic Trades is a national program of Preservation Maryland, dedicated to expanding and strengthening careers in the historic trades. Guided by a staff with extensive experience in both trades and education, The Campaign is working to address the systemic barriers to historic preservation trades training and to grow the trades workforce. Learn more at historictrades.org.
Preservation Maryland is a statewide non-profit working to protect the Maryland’s unique and irreplaceable heritage while creating a more equitable and sustainable future. Through strategic programming and partnerships, the organization is using the best of our past to solve some of today’s biggest challenges, including the effects of climate change, affordable housing, and workforce development. Learn more at presmd.org.
National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Training Center is dedicated to the safe preservation and maintenance of national parks or partner facilities by demonstrating outstanding leadership, delivering quality preservation services, and developing educational courses that fulfill the competency requirements of Service employees in the career fields of Historic Preservation Skills, Risk Management, Maintenance, and Planning, Design, and Construction. The HPTC utilizes historic preservation projects as the main vehicle for teaching preservation philosophy and building crafts, technology, and project management skills. Our experiential learning approach emphasizes flexibility in addressing the unknown conditions encountered during the project and ensures that the goals of preservation are met.
Save Our Heritage Organisation, (SOHO), a nonprofit organization that has led the community since 1969 as a powerful catalyst for preservation by raising awareness and appreciation of our region's architectural and cultural heritage. Through education, advocacy, and stewardship SOHO's mission is to preserve, promote, and support preservation of the architectural, cultural and historical links and landmarks that contribute to the collective identity, depth, and character of our region. Learn more at sohosandiego.org.
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