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Florida Construction Workforce
Taskforce:
Address training issues among building code inspectors to increase
the number qualified inspectors.
Jim Sullivan, Ph.D.
Charles Kibert, Ph.D.
Andriel Fenner, Ph. D. Student
Shirley Morque, Ph.D. Student
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Sponsored by a grant from the
“Department of Business and Professional
Regulation” and “Building a Safer Florida, Inc.” to the
M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management at
the University of Florida
The Rinker School
The M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management at the University of Florida combines
the skills, diverse experiences, and talents of its faculty with an innovative educational curriculum to
educate future construction professionals. Housed in the College of Design, Construction and Planning, the
Rinker School is dedicated to construction science and management and is committed to excellence in
education and research. Established in 1935, it is the oldest school of construction in the U.S. and the first
program to receive accreditation from the American Council for Construction Education (1975). Twenty
faculty members teach and guide the School’s 500 undergraduate and 120 graduate students. The School’s
new building, Rinker Hall, is the 26th building to have been awarded LEED Gold certification by the U.S.
Green Building Council. The Rinker School has substantial experience with crafts training and has had
extensive collaboration with the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), the
premier crafts training education organization, for the past 18. Most recently the Rinker School developed
a crafts training program, Training for Manufactured Construction (TRAMCON), that provides students
with hybrid manufacturing/construction credentials. These credentials also provide training across multiple
crafts including carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC using NCCER training modules.
Mission Statement
The mission of the M. E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management is to be the center of excellence
for construction. The Rinker School will pursue this by:
Promoting professional and ethical behavior in education and practice,
Advancing the industry by creating new knowledge through research and scholarly activities,
Educating individuals in principles, knowledge and skills required to be successful in their
professional careers, and
Providing service and transferring knowledge to the citizens of Florida, the construction
industry, professional societies, the nation, and the world.
The Rinker School will achieve this mission by fostering a core culture of value and quality.
James G. Sullivan, Ph.D.
Undergraduate Program Coordinator
M.E. Rinker Sr., School of
Construction Management
307 Rinker Hall, University of Florida
Charles J. Kibert, Ph.D., P.E.
Powell Center for Construction & Environment
M.E. Rinker Sr., School of Construction
Management
342 Rinker Hall, University of Florida
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Executive Summary
The Rinker School of Construction Management at the University of Florida has been
tasked with evaluating workforce training availability in Florida. This study will support the
evaluation of workforce development programs in the state and allow for better understanding of
the types and training offered as well as where they are offered and how they are sponsored.
Workforce shortages in the state are historically cyclical and follow significant lulls in
construction volume over time. Most recently, there was a significant downfall in construction
volume in Florida starting in 2007 (see Figure 1 below), with the recovery beginning in 2012. The
significance of this most recent economic cycle to the state is that the downturn started earlier in
Florida and lasted longer than the national average.
Figure1: Housing starts from 2005 through 2014
Construction employment follows general housing and building trends as well. The
difficulty for the recovering market is replacing the trained workforce that left the state or the
industry during the economic downturn. High demand for trained workers increases pressure on
construction firms to employ unqualified workers who are trained through an informal on-the-job
training (OJT) process, resulting in initial quality, productivity, and safety issues compared to a
trained worker. National construction employment demands are reflected in Figure 2 below.
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Figure 2: Department of Labor Statistics (Job openings in 1000’s)
Construction workforce training appears in various formats, including high school magnet
programs, vocational schools, and apprenticeships. The purpose of this report is to provide a
snapshot of the availability of training relative to the increased demand and the lack of interested
applicants. Training programs themselves are not adequate for filling the workforce void. Current
studies indicate that 50% of the construction workforce is 45 years or older. An aging workforce,
increasing in construction volume, and decreasing interest in construction employment is creating
the perfect storm for severe labor shortages. These labor shortages have the potential to limit the
growth of the construction industry, increase construction costs, and limit the types of construction
trades available to service market needs. These factors are the reasons that a Workforce Task Force
and research are required.
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Project Deliverables
The Construction Workforce Taskforce has been established via state legislation to address
the shortage of skilled crafts people and inspectors training in Florida. The taskforce will discuss
and recommend methods for craft workers and inspectors in the state of Florida.
The Workforce Taskforce specifically aims to:
Address the critical shortage of individuals trained in building construction and inspection.
Develop a consensus path for training the next generation of construction workers in the
state.
Determine the causes or the current shortage of a trained construction industry work force
and address the impact of the shortages on the recovery of the real estate market.
Review current methods and resources available for construction training.
Review the state of construction training available in K-12 schools.
Address training issues relating to building code inspectors to increase the number
qualified inspectors.
In addressing the aims listed above, the Rinker School will provide the following –
Identify and research available construction training programs, including the specific
training available and the necessary qualifications for that training, from all sources in
Florida, including high schools, secondary schools, apprenticeship programs,
vocational/technical, college, and private training.
Provide a listing of construction training programs categorized in at least the following
ways: duration of the program, cost of the program, and qualifications necessary to
participate
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Bullet point 6 A:
Address training issues among building code inspectors to increase the number
qualified inspectors.
1. National Outlook of Construction and Building Inspectors
Construction and building inspectors are the link between construction activities and the law.
They ensure that all buildings constructed (both new building construction and renovations) meet
all necessary local and national laws, codes and regulations. Building inspectors make sure that
construction is done in accordance with contract specifications. They also have the power to
approve a building, monitor construction activities, perform inspections, issue stop work orders
and violation notices. More importantly, inspectors ensure that buildings are safe for people to live
in and are also environmentally friendly. This makes this profession an important one for the
construction trade. This report seeks to find probable solutions to building inspection trade labor
shortages in Florida and to identity training programs available in the state of Florida for
construction and building inspectors, what improvement needs to be done, and how.
There are different types of construction building inspectors depending on the specific tasks
they perform. Examples of the type of construction and building inspectors are; building
inspectors, elevator inspectors, coating inspectors, electrical inspectors, home inspectors,
mechanical inspectors, specification inspectors, plumbing inspectors, public work inspectors, and
plan examiners. Since inspectors have different specializations, they normally work independently
but can work as teams as well.
In 2014, the construction and building inspectors profession had about 101,200 job available,
with the government sector alone employing about 48% (most of which were by local
governments). About 1 to 10 percent was self-employed and about 28% were in architecture,
engineering and other similar jobs. In addition to construction work experience, an inspector
should at least possess a high school diploma, and usually most states require inspectors to have
an inspector license or certificate in areas such as engineering, architecture, drafting, home or
building inspection, or other related courses. There are also On-the-Job Training (OJT)
opportunities available for construction and building inspectors. Inspector training and
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certifications vary from state to state and the type of inspector job. Certification can be state issued
or other associations such as the International Code Council, International Association of Electrical
Inspectors, International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Inspectors, and the National
Fire Protection Association. Construction and building certifications, like any other certificate,
require taking an exam. The American Society of Home Inspectors and the National Association
of Home Inspectors are two organizations that organize the inspectors’ exam. Most construction
and building inspector certifications also involve periodic license renewal and continuous
education.
The average annual wage for construction and building inspectors as of May, 2015 was
$57,350. This was more than the average annual wage of regular construction trade workers, as
shown in Figure 1. $91,600 and $34,800 were the highest and lowest 10% of the annual wage
respectively. In 2014, construction and building inspectors had a greater percentage of union
association.
Figure 1 – Average Annual Wage of Construction and Building Inspectors, 2015
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projected an 8% increase (from 101,200 employees in
2014 to 109,200 employees in 2024) in construction and building inspector jobs for the 10-year
period. This was 2% lower than the projected growth in other construction trades. Figure 2 shows
these percentages. Along with this, financial constraint forces some organizations to employ
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construction and building inspectors with several specialties, therefore adding to the low
employment of inspectors.
Figure 2 – Change in Employment of Construction and Building Inspector Trade, 2014 - 2024
Construction and Building Inspector Trade, Florida Outlook
The Department of Labor listed Florida as the fourth highest state (6,160 inspectors
employed as of May, 2015) with employment in construction and building inspector jobs. The
Department listed California, Texas and New York as the top three states for inspector
employment. Figure 3 shows the first five highest inspector employment states.
Figure 3 – States with highest employment in construction and building inspector trade.
Source: DOL, 2015
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As mentioned earlier, nationally, construction and building inspectors can be government
employed, self-employed or belong to architectural, engineering or related job organizations and
associations. One such organization is the Florida Association of Building Inspectors, Inc. (FABI).
This is a non-profit, professional organization established in 1984 in Florida. FABI is the “Florida
inspection voice.” This means FABI uses inspection guidelines, standard practices, and a
professional code of ethics to ensure customer satisfaction, which in this case is the safety of
building occupants. They also provide the Florida Home Inspection Exams (FHIE)
(http://www.fabi.org/). Construction and building inspector wages in Florida compare well to
average annual wages nationally. Figure 4 gives a state overview of construction and building
inspector average wages in Florida. This compares the average construction and building inspector
wages to other construction jobs.
Figure 4 – Average wages for jobs in Florida.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
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Construction and building inspector jobs in Florida also require a minimum of a high school
diploma, license or certification and continuous education. The Building Codes Administrator and
Inspections Board, a branch of Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation issues
certificates to building inspectors in Florida. Florida has three building inspector license
categories, namely; standard, limited and provisional. In addition to passing the test, Florida
construction and building inspectors are also required to complete 140 hours of continuous
education every two years. Table 1 shows the ten largest schools in Florida that provide
construction and building inspector related course.
School Name Duration Building Inspector Programs Offered
Erwin Technical College 2 years Certificate in Building Construction Technology
Hillsborough
Community College 2 years
AA in Building Construction,
AS in Architectural Design & Construction
Technology
Immokalee Technical
College 2 years Certificate in Building Construction Technology
Miami Dade College 2 years
AS in Building Construction Technology,
AS in Architectural Design & Construction
Technology
Pinellas Technical
Education Center-St
Petersburg
2 years Certificate in Building Construction Technologies
Seminole State College
of Florida 2 years
College Credit Certificate in Building Construction
Technology,
AA in Construction Engineering,
BS in Engineering Technology
State College of Florida-
Manatee-Sarasota 2 years
Associate in Science in Construction Management
Technology
2 years Building Construction Minor,
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The University of West
Florida
BS in Engineering Technology - Building
Construction Specialization
Valencia College 2 years
Certificate in Building Construction Specialist,
Associate in Science in Building Construction
Technology
Common construction and building inspection courses include but are not limited to
introductory building inspection courses, plumbing systems inspection courses, electrical systems
inspection courses, and fire safety courses (http://study.com/building_inspection_courses.html).
Few apprenticeship programs offer training and courses specific to the inspector trade. This
is because the profession requires a general and basic knowledge in construction trade and a good
knowledge of building codes and regulations. So normally, people with construction backgrounds
and experience for at least five years, can take a short online or in person inspector training course
and take the exams to become a certified construction and building inspector. Afterwards, OJT
programs and continuous education will equip the individual to become a great inspector. A
meeting of the Florida Building Code Administrators and Inspector Board in 2010 reported that
the application review committee approved 58 applications and denied 47 applications for licenses
and also approved nine previously denied applications. The board also approved 23 continuous
education courses and denied five courses. These numbers are small and a cause for concern. This
might be due to the fact that people are not aware of the certification requirements and procedure.
Awareness in this respect can go a long way to increase the number of building inspectors in
Florida
(http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/pro/build/documents/bcaib_executive_summary_october
_2010.pdf.).
2. The Problem (Construction and Building Inspector Shortages in Florida)
For many years, the Florida Building Division has been successful in reviewing plans within
10 days from the previous 30-day review period for a single-family home and also in responding
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to almost all requests within 24 hours. However, some more complex commercial buildings may
take a much longer time, whereas, simple replacement work like roof and air conditioning
replacement will normally take less time for review and permits and approval can be given the
same day. During the recession in 2008, many inspectors were either laid off or retired. This led
to a shortage in building inspectors in the state and nationally. In some cases, the retired building
inspectors were replaced with level 1 building inspectors (which slowed performance and caused
delays in inspections). Also, for instance, Alachua county employed dual-certified plan examiners
to help assist with building inspection. This was an increased effort to mitigate the construction
and building inspectors shortage in the state. Even with this increased effort the demand for
inspectors still exceeds the available supply leading to plan review backlogs and increased review
times.
Research has shown that the construction and building inspector profession is attracting less
construction related workers. This can be attributed to the fact that the state of Florida requires
five-years of construction trade experience in order to obtain an inspector license. Many
contractors would rather stay in their construction trades than to become an inspector. Contractors
see the construction and building inspector trade as a job people turn to after being laid off, or to
be in the public sector or to have a good retirement benefit. With increase in construction work,
leading to high construction worker demand, skilled contractors would rather stay in construction
trade than to become an inspector.
Construction and building inspectors in Alachua county, Florida perform 12 inspections per
day and sometimes time constraints make this impossible, leading to delays. The ISO standard
requires a maximum of 10 inspections per day. Therefore, Florida exceeds the ISO standards due
to an inspector shortage. Figure 5 shows a relation between required inspections and available
inspectors.
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Figure 5 – 2015 requested building inspection and what was actually inspected.
Note that these numbers are just estimates and might not represent the actual values. The
estimates were done using a high case scenario. They were calculated using 12 inspections per day
with no deductions made for annual leave days for inspectors, sick days, training sessions, and
holidays. These estimates also assume five-man inspectors, working five days per week. A
projection was also done for the first three months of 2016. This projection showed an increased
number of requested inspections, as shown in Figure 6.
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Figure 6 – Requested building inspections in the first three months of 2016.
Attaining a construction and building inspector license is seen as a difficult task. The
requirements are too high to attract regular skilled construction workers. Five years is a long time
to wait before attaining an inspector license or certification. This deters most skilled construction
workers from getting into the inspector profession. Construction and building inspectors are
classified at four levels. This is dependent on the number on which of the four certificates the
individual holds. The levels are Level I (holds a residential 1 and 2 family license) and Level II,
III and IV (holds multiple licenses including electrical, mechanical, plumbing, fire safety and many
others). Holding multiple licenses becomes advantageous when working or reviewing commercial
constructions. Coupled with this is low wages. There have been instances where building
inspectors have resigned for a higher paying construction related jobs.
The shortage was so severe in the state that the Alachua county inspection board started
hiring retired building inspectors on a temporary basis. This helps mitigate some of the problem
and should be encouraged. However, not every construction worker will settle for a temporary part
time building inspection job. The introduction of online services has helped improve services
provided by building inspectors. This should also be encouraged and broadened to cover a large
variety of online services. On the other hand, no online service can be used to substitute physical
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site visit inspections (http://meetingdocs.alachuacounty.us/documents/bocc/agendas/2016-05-
10/87b1e1a2-4077-4d8e-a5ab-098445c458fa.pdf).
3. Conclusion and Recommendations (Possible Solutions)
Over the years, a lot of improvement has been made in the construction and building inspector
trade in the state of Florida. Nevertheless, the need for building inspectors to meet the growing
building inspection demands needs to be critically addressed. One possible solution to the current
inspector trade shortage is hiring new inspectors to help with the review of plans and inspection
of properties. This can be done either on a full-time or temporary part-time basis. Retired
inspectors can be hired on a temporary basis to help deal with the shortage. These retired inspectors
do not require training and will do the job well even on the first day since they already have the
inspection experience and are very familiar with the process. Retired inspectors can be hired while
waiting to hire a full-time employee or while allowing new hires to become acquainted with the
inspection and permitting process. Younger inspectors should also be considered during new hires
(average age of building inspectors in Alachua county is 62 years)
A pay increase will go a long way to attract more construction workers into the building
inspection profession.
The state should allow for some private associations to also give licenses to help ease the
burden. The licensing process should also be a bit more flexible to attract more people. For
instance, the five-year construction experience mandate can be reduced to three years and workers
be assigned a mentor (retired inspector rehired) to learn and gain more experience. It must however
be noted that making the license process more flexible should not be done at the expense of the
health and safety of building occupants or the environment
(http://meetingdocs.alachuacounty.us/documents/bocc/agendas/2016-05-10/87b1e1a2-4077-
4d8e-a5ab-098445c458fa.pdf).
