The National Fire Protection Association has released its third annual Industry Trends Survey, which reveals skilled worker sentiments around the state of labor, training and technology on the jobsite. The survey provides a look at what the skilled trades industry can expect in each of these areas in 2025.
The skilled labor shortage continues to be a top concern in 2025. Exactly half of skilled tradespeople identified a shortage of qualified candidates as the top challenge for workers this year. Skilled labor shortage concerns primarily stem from worker retirement and workforce retention challenges. As a result, the skilled labor shortage will continue to impact organizations’ budgets in 2025.
Additionally, technology adoption remains essential for efficiency and communication. Looking toward 2025, almost half (46%) of respondents plan to adopt more digital tools within their day-to-day operations, an uptick of 9% from 2024. Currently, 38% of respondents feel a lack of job-enabling technology is one of their top challenges at work, followed by a lack of knowledge sharing and collaboration on the jobsite (31%), indicating that increased technology adoption will better support workers already stretched thin from labor shortages.
Despite an increase in willingness to use these technologies, there remain barriers to adoption and concerns around how to properly implement technological innovations:
- 44% of respondents cited the cost of implementation as the primary obstacle to adopting new technologies, followed by lack of training or knowledge (25%).
- 20% of skilled trade professionals believe there will be pushback within the industry to adopt new technologies, while only around 10% of respondents cited a lack of availability/access as a primary barrier.
Trainings, both in new technologies and in specialized skills and knowledge, is top of mind for skilled workers in 2025. Industry professionals are doubling down on training and certifications, with over half (54%) of respondents planning to participate in more training sessions than in 2024. Fifty-two percent of industry professionals plan to make this same increase in certifications, a 10% increase from last year.
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