Boise is now the second-fastest growing construction job market in the country, the Associated General Contractors announced today, and the construction industry is starting to have a hard time finding qualified workers. “Your construction employment has grown by two-thirds in the last five years,” Brian Turmail, national AGC spokesman, said at a press conference today at the Broadway Bridge construction site. There are now 22,600 people working in construction in Boise, up from 13,400 at the bottom of the economic downturn five years ago. “Many firms just can’t find the workers to keep up with demand,” Turmail said.

Lt. Gov. Brad Little, who joined Turmail, state Commerce Director Megan Ronk and Idaho AGC President Joe Jackson at the announcement, said, “The critical aspect is the workforce. … It’s way up on our radar screen right now.”

Jackson said, “Job sites all over Boise need more carpenters, more electricians, more HVAC techs and more.” The Idaho AGC has launched a new website, webuildidaho.org, to serve as a “clearinghouse for people considering a career in construction,” he said. “Right now, dozens of Idaho companies are looking to hire for various positions.” The site includes an array of current job listings, as well as information on training programs and scholarships.

Ronk said Boise’s construction boom is echoed statewide. “There’s not a place that I travel throughout the state where you don’t see significant construction and cranes in the sky,” she said. She commended the construction group for stepping forward to promote education and training for students or others interested in construction careers.

The Boise metro area added 3,600 new construction jobs between June of 2015 and June of 2016, a 19 percent increase. It ranked second only to Kokomo, Ind. for the largest percentage increase in the past year, according to employment stats tracked by the AGC for 358 metro areas across the country.