Identifying and Documenting Case Studies of Craft Workforce Success

The construction industry continues to face a persistent shortage of skilled craft professionals, creating significant challenges for project delivery, productivity, safety, and long-term workforce sustainability. While previous CII research has explored the causes and consequences of these shortages, less attention has been given to how leading organizations are successfully addressing them in practice. Research Team 436 (RT-436) fills this gap by examining workforce development initiatives implemented by ten exemplar organizations—including owners, contractors, specialty contractors, and a labor organization—across the capital projects industry.

Using a qualitative case study approach, the research documents innovative strategies for recruiting, training, developing, and retaining craft professionals, with particular focus on organizational structures, leadership practices, and measurable outcomes. Cross-case analysis revealed six common pathways to workforce success: cultivating a culture that values and supports craft professionals; embedding workforce development into organizational systems and processes; modernizing and decentralizing training delivery; strengthening leadership and management development; implementing standardized craft competency assessments; and investing in the people, resources, and infrastructure required to sustain workforce initiatives.

Rather than prescribing a one-size-fits-all solution, the report offers practical examples and transferable strategies that organizations can adapt to their unique operating environments. Collectively, the findings demonstrate that workforce development is not simply a staffing function, but a strategic capability that enhances workforce stability, improves project performance, and supports the long-term sustainability of the construction industry.