LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It’s affecting companies of every size and industry, across just about every state according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

What You Need To Know

  • The U.S. Chamber of Commerce says there’s a nationwide worker shortage impacting different industries  

  • Dustin Reinstedler, vice chairman for Bricklayers of Indiana and Kentucky says he will be short 80 bricklayers this summer

  • The bricklayers union said it is visiting high schools, talking to guidance counselors, business leaders and attending job fairs, all to get the word out about jobs in the field

  • They are also offering paid apprenticeships to introduce more people into the field

They say right now, data shows there are almost 10 million job openings but not enough workers to fill them. If every unemployed person in the country got a job, there would still be four million openings, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The pinch is being felt in masonry and bricklaying. 

Preston Roby was born and raised in Bullitt County. He’s a Bullitt East High School grad and studied for two years at the University of Louisville.

He was a political science major with plans to become a lawyer. But he says one thing made him change his mind.

“It was the money. To be honest, when I was going through high school, there was a big push for going to college at the time and whatnot and I figured that’s what I needed to do,” Roby, a bricklaying apprentice, explained. “But, I got to talking with my dad, who’s been doing this for almost 30 years now, and ran the numbers and figured I could make more money doing bricklayer work rather than actually finishing out and getting my degree.”

He is an apprentice of the Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local 4 of Indiana and Kentucky. Roby will finish his four-year apprenticeship in February.

“What I love about being a bricklayer is the actualization of your work. So, you can really see a project go step-to-step as you’re finishing it,” Roby said.

Dustin Reinstedler, vice chairman of the Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 4 of Indiana and Kentucky, said there is a shortage of workers in the Commonwealth. He says he’s 80 bricklayers short this summer.

In terms of why, he said for decades, schools and educators got away from talking about the trades. He said they’re fixing that right now. The union offers paid pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeship programs in Indiana and Kentucky.

“Another thing we’re doing is we’re visiting high schools. We’re talking to guidance counselors, we’re putting that word out there. Going to job fairs, we’re talking to other business leaders. We’re promoting ourselves with the large employers, the Humanas, and the UPS,” Reinstedler explained.

Roby hopes to inspire people to get into the industry, especially younger people.

“Hopefully, my story can inspire maybe either someone that’s thinking about going to college, but doesn’t think that it’s right for them to just try something new. The apprenticeship will pay you while you’re learning. You’ll be able to learn a trade and learn a bunch of different things,” Roby said.

Roby plans to stay in this industry until retirement.

Reinstedler said they are currently hiring and accepting applications for their apprenticeships.

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