The Campaign for Historic Trades Releases First-of-its-Kind Labor Study on the Status of Historic Trades in America

Analysis shows the need for a larger and better-trained historic trades workforce; 100,000 workers needed within the next decade

BALTIMORE, Nov. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 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. The 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 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, and the data it provides, the gap between the need for historic preservation trades workers and the trained hands to perform the work is estimated and forecasted for the first time in history.

"Historic preservation is not niche," said Nicholas Redding, president and CEO of Preservation Maryland and The Campaign for Historic Trades. "It's a major component of the nation's construction industry and this study underscores the need for communities all across America to invest in the workforce that will sustain this growing, diverse, and significant component of the trades landscape."

KEY FINDINGS:

• 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. 
• 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.
• 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. 

To access the full labor study, visit www.historictrades.org/laborstudy

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

Media Contact:
Dana Cohen
Director of Communications, Preservation Maryland
dcohen@presmd.org/410.428.3477

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SOURCE The Campaign for Historic Trades