Construction outfits in Reno and Sparks struggle to keep their jobs on schedule as it gets more difficult for them to find enough help. About 20,400 people worked in construction in the region in November, reports the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation. That’s an increase of 1,700 workers over the same month year earlier.
The unemployment rate of 2.7 percent in the region means that only about 7,300 people are looking for work, and the construction industry is feeling the squeeze.
“The shortage is causing longer build times and delays in nearly sector of the industry,” says Don Tatro, CEO of The Builders, an industry association headquartered in Reno. But, he adds, jobs aren’t being cancelled.
The tight supply of construction workers is nationwide, and northern Nevada can’t simply tap pools of jobless workers elsewhere. Las Vegas, an obvious source of new construction workers for Reno jobs, itself saw an increase of 11,000 people working construction in the past year.
The answer?
“We are seeing many companies trying to automate portions of the building process, and there are companies looking to build more of the product offsite in a controlled warehouse and ship the pieces to the jobsite,” says Tatro.
More help is coming from educational programs such as ACE, a charter high school that teaches skills in the building trades and other skilled crafts. The Builders has increased its support of scholarships for students seeking construction careers.
Ultimately, Tatro is confident the situation will straighten itself out.
“The market will move to fill the labor shortage, either with more labor or a new process,” he says.
News briefs
Saint Mary’s Health Network Welcomes Tim Garcia-Jay as Vice President of Medical Group — Garcia-Jay is returning to Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center, having started his healthcare career in the 1990s in various positions at Saint Mary’s, and then again from 2001-2003 as the Director of Business Development for Saint Mary’s Health Network.
University Arts Building Wins Architecture Design Honors Across the Country — The newly opened University Arts Building earned several awards and honors for its design from architecture groups across the country. The project has been recognized with:
- Honor Award in Architecture category from American Institute of Architects (AIA) Cleveland
- Merit Award in the Newly Completed Project category from AIA Ohio
- Merit Award in the Built: Commercial Architecture category from AIA Nevada
- Award of Merit in the Higher Education/Research category from ENR (Engineering News-Record) Southwest – Best Projects
Saint Mary’s Health Network Announces New Chief Executive Officer — Saint Mary’s Health Network announced Tiffany Portia Coury as its Chief Executive Officer, effective January 13, 2020. Tiffany joins Saint Mary’s from Northern Nevada Medical Center in Sparks where she served as Chief Operating Officer from 2010 to 2019.
Extension Introduces Economic Development Initiative Across Nevada — A collaborative statewide initiative, led by the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, is underway to provide counties with timely economic data and analytical tools to improve county-level planning and policy assessment efforts. The Nevada Economic Assessment Project (also known as “NEAP”) aims to provide county, state and federal agencies, and their partners, with data and analyses to better understand trends in each county’s demographic, social, economic, fiscal and environmental characteristics.
Reno-Tahoe Airport CEO Marily Mora to Retire June 30 — The Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority Board will conduct a national search to hire a new President/CEO for the 66th busiest airport in the nation in the wake of current CEO Marily Mora’s November announcement that she will retire June 30.
Blanchard, Krasner & French Welcomes Nicole Harvey to Reno Office — Harvey’s practice focuses on corporate law and governance, estate planning, trust administration and probate transfers, employment law, insurance law, civil litigation and the regulation of federally insured financial institutions. She brings more than a decade of experience representing families and business owners.
Nevada Women’s Fund Names 2020 Executive Officers and Welcomes Eight New Board Members — Executive officers serving a one-year term include Jamie Gazza, vice president of corporate banking for Nevada State Bank, board chair; Ronele Dotson, president of RAD Strategies, vice-chair; Sarah Crumby, CPA for Cupit, Milligan, Ogden & Williams, CPAs, treasurer; Jill Johnson, director of communications at Bishop Manogue Catholic High School, recorder; and Kerry Eaton, attorney for Drinkwater Eaton Law Offices, immediate past chair.
TMCC Names Geoffrey Hawkins Head Soccer Coach — TMCC Athletics announces that Geoff Hawkins will assume the role of Head Coach for the Mighty Lizards men’s and women’s soccer teams. Hawkins comes to TMCC directly from the College of Southern Nevada (CSN) where he served as Director of Soccer.
– Compiled by Darcy Lenardson
